Polychrones Press

Cheap or Frugal

2012-01-28T00:35:00.000-08:00

I by 90% of my clothes in a second hand store. There I said it. Some would call it cheap but I like to think of it more as being frugal.

My husband seems to have a good eye for finding quality stuff in second hand stores. For myself, I prefer the stores for a couple of reasons. Call this crazy but as Americans we waste a lot. People wear things two or three times and than get rid of it. What a waste! I get it if you lost weight or if you spilled something on it that won't come out, but for the most part a good pair a jeans should last for years. Blouses, and slacks if taken care of probably should hold out for the duration of a couple years.

I can remember in my late teens and 20's being so poor I only had one pair of jeans, and one pair of pants. Never quite feeling "put together", this made life (as I knew it) difficult. I have bought stuff at discount retail stores but have found them to fall apart very quickly where as if you shop consignment you can find good quality name brands for under 10 dollars. Yes, often you have to pick through them to find the good stuff but if you allow yourself time you can find a great deal that will hold up longer than a week.

There is a great feeling in buying second hand:

A. I am recycling, and reusing,

B. You never know what you may find. Often there are "diamonds in the rough" it feels good to know that something you hand picked, and is more than likely not something your co-worker is going to wearing.

C. I am saving money. Hard earned money that can be used towards other things that we may need, or even put away in savings.

Below are some of the stores I like to buy second hand clothes at:

Last Chance, Nordstroms (this store is not for the week at heart. If you do not like crowds, or lines you will not like this place and you really have to hunt and peck but great treasures can be found!)

My sisters closet

Savers

December 2011

2011-12-31T04:24:00.000-08:00

Browsing the internet and reading other blogs inspire me. I seem to struggle keeping my own online journal up to date. Here are some pics from October to December.

This was our Christmas Card Photo 2011!

This is a hand made ornament. (A gift from a friend!)

Us! December 2011

Christmas Lights at the Mormon Temple 2011

My (little) family

November 2011

2011-12-31T04:15:00.000-08:00

Tracie's visit! 2011

Thanksgiving 2011

Good Eats

John cleaning dishes in our krappy kitchen (still antispating our kitchen reno)

More good eats!

The gang

October 2011

2011-12-31T04:09:00.000-08:00

Roberts Ordination October 2011

Johns Birthday Weekend (42)

Susan and I (Johns Birthday weekend)

Johns Birthday Weekend October 2011

(Stay tuned.... Tryig to upload a video here)

The video is a small clip from Robs Ordination Celebration

Aniversary # 4

2011-10-23T02:47:00.000-07:00

(Today is October 17th, 2011 but this will probally not go live until the weekend so keep that in mind when reading the post so you do not ge the date confussed)

My sweet dear husband surprised me and rearranged his work schedule so he could come home early so we could celebrate our 4-year wedding. We had a great evening of celebrating but I did not have the heart to tell him our wedding anniversary is tomorrow! Ha! He gets an A + for all his efforts and energy!

Giuseppe’s on 28th is a small authentic Italian restaurant, We have been eyeballing this resturant since we saw it on Dine Ins, Dives and Diners. (On the Food Network) It is about 10 blocks from our house. The food is amazing they make all there pasta in house!

Vacation Mode

2011-10-08T03:41:00.000-07:00

John and I where able to switch into vacation mode and enjoy a few days out of town alone. My dad was a great help in caring for our "Memphis" which helped allow us to make this happen. We both have high hopes of traveling a lot more over the next 20-years but for now we will take what we can get. One day I will blog about how frugal we are, how we try to make every penny count, and how we are trying to build up our saving so we do not have to be one paycheck away from being homeless! (Ha, we are not that close to homelessness but you get the idea!)

Sunrise

Canoa Ranch

Madera Canyon

No particular title

2011-09-20T20:05:00.000-07:00

For the few stalkers I have left here is a poor attempt to update our blog. Life is busy, and busy is good. John and I are both in great health and can not be anymore greatful.

Home ownership has certainly had its highs and lows. Between A/C problems, car problems and the beast of a yard John tackles every week. We hold our breathe that if something does go wrong the Lord will provided.

Any thoughts of any real vacation is so far back in the back of our mind we feel blessed just to drive up Flagstaff for the night.

Fortunately, the parents live locally and we have a great network of friends. Below are a few pictures of our "happenings" over the past several months.

Dads 76th Birthday August 2011

NFL Kickoff Party September 2011

Moms "49th" Birthday September 2011

poor attempt of cupcakes I made for moms birthday.

Even though we have not been able to take a vacation our friend went to Ireland and brought us back gifts!

John enjoying his new beer glass

4th of July 2011 (Indian Steele Park, Pheonix) Yes, It was hot

Yummy Muffins

2011-08-10T05:08:00.000-07:00

Bountiful Baskets has given us many of great dishes! It has helped us to think outside the box and research and create some yummy meals, using things like eggplant, potato's, cabbage and much more! The Internet is a great resource for recipes it is endless!.

I often find it frustrating for me because there is just not enough time in my day to really learn how to cook some mouth watering meals. John is no chef but he is certainly the cook in this house. I see my friends just whip things up so effortlessly and I am envious of the God given gift.

So for now I will start out with baking.

Here is my delicious recipe I found online for using blueberries and making blueberry muffins!

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

3/4 cup white sugar

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/3 cup vegetable oil

1 egg

1/3 cup milk

1 cup fresh blueberries

Topping:

1/2 cup white sugar

1/3 cup all-purpose flour

1/4 cup butter, cubed

1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

Directions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Grease muffin cups or line with muffin liners.

Combine 1 1/2 cups flour, 3/4 cup sugar, salt and baking powder. Place vegetable oil into a 1 cup measuring cup; add the egg and enough milk to fill the cup. Mix this with flour mixture. Fold in blueberries. Fill muffin cups right to the top, and sprinkle with crumb topping mixture. Makes 12 muffins.

To Make Crumb Topping: Mix together 1/2 cup sugar, 1/3 cup flour, 1/4 cup butter, and 1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon. Mix with fork, and sprinkle over muffins before baking.

Bake for 20 to 25 minutes in the preheated oven, or until done.

2011-06-02T19:28:00.000-07:00

I did not do a very good job at taking before and after pictures but here are a few almost done pics. My dad and my husband have benn working hard at pulling out shrubs, dead trees, weeds, and even gutting out a chain link fences in order to create a space we have high hopes to create a veggie garden! It is a little to hot now to grow veggies but fall will come and we will grow a pumpkin or two.

This was a "hidden treasure" found while cleaning out the space. Yes! We have grapes growing!

2011-05-24T23:43:00.000-07:00

2011-05-21T09:08:00.001-07:00

I am working 7-days a week now and though the money has certainly helped us out, I will be honest it sucks! This past month or maybe the later part of April Millie (Our cat) had to go in for a $500.00 surgery on her ear. That was the start of a series of events that has made us grateful for all Johns overtime and me picking up a part time job.

The next tragedy was Johns car, I can not remember what it was that specific time but after we got his car back a few days later we had a planned trip to head down to Long Beach they day we were leaving town my front breaks went out. So we drove my car to the mechanic and headed out of town. The day we got home from Long Beach the A/C was not working in our home that set us back $750.00 and than two days later Johns car took two trips to the dealership in a three day time frame and they were finally able to resolve is on going ignition problems. (Something to do with the chip in the key not connecting to whatever it needed to connect to.)

So again I find myself in a place trying to find balance. I can not over commit myself and I have to realize that somethings will have to be cut out. I have less time now than before. Friday evenings and Saturdays are pretty much lost days and my one day off (sort of) I need to make sure I am using it wisely.

Tomorrow John and I heading to Bountiful Baskets to try it out. They are nationwide so anyone reading this should browse there website and let me know your experience.

The next several months will be all about working and building up are savings so no summer trips fir us!(again)

2011-05-21T09:08:00.000-07:00

This is what our $15.00 got us at bountifulbaskets.org consider registering and using the service. You get alot of food for a small amount of change!

The Ocean, Long Beach

2011-05-02T20:50:00.000-07:00

Beautiful Long Beach, California.... Down by the Pier. This picture was taken on a recent trip down to Long Beach. I can not get over how beautiful it is to see the water.

The ocean does not and has never made me feel small. On the contrary, It makes me feels as if all things are possible and makes me feel "large".

Baby Ducks

2011-04-27T19:10:00.000-07:00

I could not resist snapping a few pictures of these baby ducks that came and visited my school.

All things bright and beautiful,

All creatures, great and small,

All things wise and wonderful,

The Lord God made them all.

He gave us eyes to see them,

And lips that we might tell

How great is God Almighty,

Who has made all things well.

"The Creation" by Cecil Frances Alexander

Taking this blog in a new direction

2011-04-19T21:35:00.000-07:00

A picture a week! Or as often as I can remember. My original thought was a picture a day but that might be a little over zealous. I figure there is also something I see that might represent my day or week. So I will try to snap a picture or two and throw it up on this blog!

Hopefully this will inspire me to keep this blog more up to date.

With that being said, below are some picture of some things that are blooming in our front and back yard. My husband and I work a lot of hours during the week and on weekends. John has one day to mow, trim, rake, and do all the other yard work that comes with owning a home. I will not lie when I say that it is overwhelming at times and we often think we have "bit off more than we can chew", but my dad has been faithful to us and comes over and trims back our rose bushes, rakes the yard. It helps alleviate a lot of the work that seems overwhelming at times.

these "weeds" are blooming white things in our back yard.

You can see a few roses trying to grow there. Too bad my thumb is not green

"Drew" is a feral cat that has taken a liking to our home. He has been around since the day we got the keys

Daily doings

2011-03-13T03:56:00.000-07:00

Life has been moving right along. The PC at home is so slow and gives me so many errors that often I find it more trouble than it is worth to even attempt to log in and blog. It is so far down our on our list of things to buy that blogging has been put on a side burner.

I have high hope of a kitchen renovation this year. If we stay on track it should happen, but when has life ever stayed on track? We are getting calls for jobs this summer to pet sit and I / we have decided that I am going to work a second job for a while so we can build up our saving a little more. John would take on a second job but his work often (more often than not) has mandatory O.T. When this takes place he can work 55-60 hours a week.

I have not been into blogging as I have been in years past. I find peace in knowing that I do not need to share every days details and post every picture of our daily doings on a blog. There is something sacred about privacy. I worry about the families that chronicle the daily doings of there children's lives or even their own daily busyness. I wonder if that when those kids are 25, someone can google there name and stumble upon an old blog and know they were born via c-section, they had the measles when they were 3 or they got a B plus on there first essay. (While in an interview the adult child might say, " I researched your company and..." and the potential employer says, "I researched you also and... ") How awkward would that be?

I see the importance in documenting our lives I often wonder what happened to an old fashion diary or journal. Let your ancestors stumble upon it after you die and let them put it out there for the world to know after the fact not in the present time.

God is good to us. He is always good and I do choose to keep this blog alive I am not going to be so concerned about writing down every detail of our blessed life.

So you deleted me, should I be mad?

2011-02-20T16:22:00.000-08:00

Facebook, twitter, there are all kinds of ways to keep in touch with people now a days. Me personally, I am a fan of FB. I have found people that I have "lost" over the years, and others have found me. I have been able to keep in touch with people I have met in my adult life that I may have ended up losing contact with.

Recently I have noticed it seems that the latest trend in rejection is being deleted!

I"ll be honest, I have cleaned out my friends list on occasion mostly people that I met casually and we friend each other only never to see each other again and I have been deleted by friends for whatever reason. Sometimes it takes me a while to figure out who deleted me but I usually figure it out. (Maybe they closed there account, decided we were not really "friends", who knows) It does not really bother me. I try not to over think things.

What I have discovered is that some people really think it is the ultimate way to diss a friend to delete them.
Really, Are we in 6th grade? If you are mad at someone, or feel that you need to delete someone who you considered a friend be mature about talk to them, tell them your reason and move on.

Modern technology... Love it or hate it. People can be dumped over text messages, 'deleted" as friends. It is amazing how many ways you can be "rejected"

My conclusion... If someone that you considered a real friend can not confront you face to face or one on on and give you no real explanation they likely did you a favor

I swung and I missed!

2011-01-27T18:35:00.000-08:00

Well, the gig with the airlines did not work out, and the other 6-contacts I made while in Atlanta got the same response. ( I actually knew this by the time I posted the below blog. So I know it had nothing to do with posting it live)

At the end of the day all I can say is I live my life with no regrets for as many times as I have succeeded I have had just as many failures but I will continue to.... " press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus."

I am not afraid of failure for I know that failure only happens when one quites trying.

Thanks everyone!

My job interview

2011-01-22T17:43:00.000-08:00

I have been told you really should not post about jobs or interviews on a public forum such as a blog but this was just so exciting for me that I will risk the consequences.

About 3-months ago when I was job searching I applied for a Flight Attendant with a major airlines. After filling out the online application it took me an online quiz that took about 30 minutes upon the completion of the quiz I was told I passed but due to the number of applicants "do not call us, we will call you." So time went on and I completely forgot about even applying. On Monday 1/10 I got a call from the airline requesting a phone interview so I agreed to it. They asked me questions like: "If there was a crying baby on the plane and there were passenger's complaining how would I handle it, and If there was a gentleman on the plane that seemed to have had one too many alcoholic drinks and he wanted another one what would my response be?

After answering the questions they put me on hold for a few minutes they came back and said "Congratulations! you have made it through the second part of a 4-step interview. We would like to fly you out to Atlanta for a face to face interview. I was ecstatic!

So I told my boss at work (the truth of course) and I was off for 1-night to Atlanta!

The days prior to the interview I hung out with my mom and went shopping for a "business professional" outfit, I borrowed her cute black bag. Before I knew it I was off into the unknown without John but super excited about what may or may not happen next.

It was cold in Atlanta. Cold like I have never felt but that did not bring me down I had high hope what the next day would be. I checked into my hotel room and walked across the street to a restaurant for dinner then back to the hotel room and in bed for the night. My interview was at 7:30 a.m. (5:30 a.m. Phoenix Time) it was important I got plenty of sleep.

The day went as followed:

There were about 80 other applicants, they broke us up into 3 groups, and there were 3-parts to the day.

The first part for me was an orientation. Explaining how shifts works, where there HUBS are, and so on.

The second part consisted of a stretch test: Basically to see if we can reach an over head and how well we sit in the flight attendant sets

The third part was a face to face interview with myself and 2 other delta employees. The questions where not typical interview questions. More so this is the problem, how would you react, and what would the resolution be.

The down fall: (and this is huge!) 99.9% of all Junior flight attendants are based out of New York. Everything is online so you can request another home base but do not expect it. For me living in Phoenix there would be some extra cost involved being based out of state: I would have to pay for a crash pad, I need to consider cell phone cost, meals on the road, uniform deductions, etc.

Though you can submit a request for somewhere else to be your home base we were told not to expect it.

So for me needing to be in New York 12-days out of the month that is a lot to weigh.

Someone has to win

2011-01-16T18:08:00.000-08:00

You can not win if you do not try...

HGTV CONTEST: OUR KRAPPY KITCHEN

Nothing like "airing" our dirty laundry on the internet but heck someone has to win. We will do our own renovation down the road anyway, maybe 2025?

Belated Holiday Post

2011-01-05T20:03:00.000-08:00

Here is a belated post from the holidays. Some of the bunco ladies and myself got together for our second annual cookie exchange.

Cooking Project #1

2011-01-02T21:03:00.000-08:00

Okay... The first thing one might ask when looking at the picture of me, is if I am pregnant. The answer is no! Unfortun. I wear all my weight in my belly and my butt and apparently I do not know how to dress for my body type but that is a whole different blog post.

Now that we got that out of the way, as promised I am going to start venturing into the unknown (the kitchen) and try some different things with the hopes of learning how to cook.

The first "meal" I experimented with was something with Zucchini. I do not know what inspired me to use Zucchini but I have never cooked with it and I want to use fresh veggies. So Zucchini came to mind. I browsed the Internet for a good dinner meal using Zucchini and mostly I found breads. After stumbling upon a few variation of different meals. I used my own idea inspired by other variety of recipes I saw online.

For Christmas my Secret Santa at work gave me a box of Mezzaluna with Basil Pesto Filling and some Ragu Sauce. Down the road I want to try to make my own sauce but since this was my official first day I turned a blind eye on the boxed pasta and canned ragu sauces. It was all about adding some fresh Zucchini in the mix

So here it it goes.....

This is the final product

This was the process:

I got off to a good start. Got the Zuchini and I am ready to go.

Like a true "virgin" I realized that there is a lot of this that I do not have. The above straight peeler being one. So this was the first piece I had to invest in.

chopping up the Zucchini (That was actually a little therapeutic!)

adding some lemon

adding some basil (had to buy that too)

cooking the Mezzaluna

simmering

Mixing it all together

Grateful

2011-01-01T19:28:00.000-08:00

Well it is a New Year! I have made it through another decade and I have to admit with all the highs and low that my life has brought me I feel like I am the happiest I have been my entire life.

This year was the first year in YEARS that I did not have to do a shift on Thanksgiving day, The day after Thanksgiving, the weekend after Thanksgiving, Christmas eve, and Christmas Day, and New Years Eve and New Years day. It is amazing that even though I worked full 40-hour weeks I was still able to have the same part off the holidays off as most other working people. It was joyous and heartwarming knowing nobody had to work around my work schedule.

I will tell you the LORD does work in strange and mysterious way.

2010 was a rough year for us in many ways but to be able to say that I am happy from the inside out is something I have not been able to say for as long as I can remember. I am almost afraid to say it out loud in fear that something might happen. Above and beyond the bologna sauces that the grind of the every day brings us we are rich with friends that love us regardless of our imperfections and have given us many of hours good times, good food, and good company, we are rich with family who just smothers us with unconditional love. There is so much that we are "rich" with it would take hours to write it all down. When all is said and done. I am grateful. Grateful to God mostly for giving me such a rich life.

I have a list of NEW YEARS RESOLUTIONS...... but the one that will effect this blog will have to do with the overall format of what I "typically" post about. Instead of boring everyone with the boring detail our lives I will bore you with a new venture I am going to attempt to pursue and that is ...... (don't laugh) cooking.

I am far from a chief and my signature dish is boxed Macaroni and Cheese. At 42 I barely know my way around the kitchen. My hope is to start off with once a week taking on a new dish and documenting the process. I will find most of my recipes online but if anyone has some simple healthy dishes. (Breakfast, Lunch or Dinner) send them my way and I will try it. If I am successful and get into the "swing" of things. I will tackle one than more new recipe a week but lets do not jump ahead of the game!

Wish me luck and many blessing for the New Year!

New Years Eve 2010 - 2011

Reunion 2010

2010-12-29T19:53:00.000-08:00

For Tracie and I this reunion was about 20-years in the making. While in California my moms side of the family planned a mini-reunion. (Mary's Musing) While this was a great opportunity to see first, and second cousins, Aunts and Uncles. I must say I was mostly anticipating the arrival of my cousin Tracie that i had not seen since I was 21 (In 1989)

1989 (or there abouts)

2010

and in true New Orleans fashion she brought (or should I say ordered and had delivered a king cake)

she also must have also been anticipating the reunion, as she must have canned salsa, jams and baked other goods for days. Since she brought plenty for everyone and some left ever!

Tracie, I am glad we have reconnected after all these years! I look forward to the rest of our lives being united and not "lost" again.

His, Hers, and Ours

2010-12-26T09:18:00.000-08:00

Christmas Present typically goes as follows:

Thanksgiving is typically shared with "her" family. My brothers come in from out of town and we go on a 4 - day "drinking binge". Now do not take that literally it is just being used as a figure of speech because there is really no other way I can accurately explain it, but basically we eat, drink, sleep, and then eat, drink and sleep again. We repeat the cycle until everyone parts there ways. We throw in a couple of trips to the movie theater and this year we hit the bowling alley.

Us with my brothers 11-2010

John grinning from ear to ear because he finally bet the Warrens at Bowling

Christmas Eve typically is spent with "his" family. His Mom and Sister pulled out the fine china and made a fabulous feast, after dinner we work off some lbs playing some Wii, and than we do our gift exchange

John with his mom and sister December 2010

John with his nephews

and Christmas day... was shared just between the two of us....
This year I enjoyed decorating our home, spending some time baking, and are big gift to each other was our trip to Disneyland on December 10th. This was John's first time there and I hope I am correct in thinking he had a great time. On 12/25, John and I enjoyed the silence of our home, exchanged gifts and grilled dinner.

Our countdown calendar

Christmas's Past

2010-12-25T16:03:00.000-08:00

This one is for my mom as she seems to be the "memory keeper" of our family and has done a great job documenting her memories and researching her genealogy on her blog. (and I stole the picture from her blogspot, Mary's Musings)

Being Christmas Day, John and I have been laying low, surfing the radio channels, and taking in the beautiful Arizona weather, on one particular radio station they were talking about "What was Christmas like in your home growing up" so that has inspired this posting.

For me I remember it being "simple". Nothing over the top. (Thank God!) It mostly revolved around Church and us getting to Church on Christmas Eve. On many Christmas Eve's we would go to a movie and than hit McD's. (McD's and a movie was a "special treat" being that with 5-of us it was quite costly!)

As a child I can remember just not being able to sleep ever on Christmas Eve! I was so excited I just could not stand it. We always left cookies and milk out for Santa, and as much as I tried I just could not stay awake to see Santa. (I must have dosed off at some point) My poor younger brother was always a good sport in letting me wake him up early. I would always say, "Are you awake?" of course he was not but he pretended he was anyway. (the rule was we could not come out of our rooms until the sun was up!) I would try to pry out of him if he knew anything I was getting and sometimes we would play board games waiting for the sun to come up.

It seemed like we always got plenty and I do not remember any Christmas I did not get what I wanted! Our stocking where stuffed full!

Merry Christmas Everyone

John 3:16: For God so loved the world he gave his only begotten Son, that whom so ever believes in him shall not perish but have everlasting life!

My Grandma Warren handmade all these stockings.

I am back

2010-12-25T15:41:00.000-08:00

I am going to try to find my mojo and start blogging again! Lots of people have asked why I stopped. Life just gets busy and the grind is really boring.

But I will see what I can do!

Closing this blog

2010-09-07T19:09:00.001-07:00

I will be closing up this blog soon.... Nothing "bloggable" we re open it when I get inspired again.

Update

2010-09-06T14:35:00.000-07:00

So life has not been to bloggable lately. I am not getting married, we are not buying a house we are just living the grind of the day to day! I know BORING.

It has been a long year, it is hard to believe that the holidays are creeping up on us. I am looking forward to the holidays this year in our home. Last year it seemed that we had just closed on our home and it was time to decorate. It is hard to decorate when you feel like you are still unpacking and getting used to the home. This year however I welcome it and embrace our 2nd Christmas in our home. (Basically, BRING IT ON!)

Labor day weekend we opened up our home and invited our family over and a few neighbors for an evening of BBQ and good eats. Our house is not that big. Our house warming party was a little overwhelming for me too many people in our small space however, the BBQ in my mind was much more successful. John sister and Brother in law came over with the kids, our friends J & M came over and we invited our new neighbor who bought the home next door to us. It was good fun and at the end of the night I just felt blessed.

Cats do the darnest things

2010-09-06T14:19:00.000-07:00

Hobie is still in need of a good home. Read his story (HOBIE NEEDS A HOME). Today we could not find him and we found him asleep in the tub! LOL (Click on the picture for a more close up view!)

Today in Flagstaff, Arizona

2010-07-17T20:44:00.000-07:00

Sat

85°F | 55°F

What I have learned from the current financial crisis:

2010-07-10T20:13:00.000-07:00

I think the biggest lesson that I’ve learned from the Financial Crisis is that success is not the guaranteed outcome of hardworking people. Plus once you have success, it’s not permanent. I guess the good news is that the inverse is also not guaranteed: that hardworking people can achieve success, and that depression is not permanent. Regardless of how you look at it, I’m not going to reduce life to a series of investments. Life is too good to be wasted obsessing over money.

We have seen our own friends and loved ones suffer from the current crisis. Some have lost there jobs, and even homes Both John and I have been very fortunate to have found jobs in a shaky economy. We have tried to be good stewards of our money and make realistic choices based on what we have and not on what we are planning to have, but even those with good plans we have seen struggle. We lost our health insurance for 3-months because we were in between jobs. Cobra was just to expensive and the state told us we make to much money to qualify for access while we wait 3-month at our new job to go onto our new insurance. We thank God every day for keeping us safe and in good health. It would have put us back farther is something would have happened.

I have tried to focus more on my relationships, particularly with John. I know this should be an obvious choice, but it’s easy to be distracted by the “projects of life” and miss those golden moments with my family. A product of this is the time that we as a couple try to invest into the community by volunteering our weekends and evening to ministries in our local community. This is a great eye opener for us as we both see often that there is others who have more than us but there are also others with much less.

More Summer fun

2010-07-10T17:15:00.000-07:00

http://www.cerreta.com/

Cerreta’s Fine Chocolate is a little known yet unique Phoenix travel destination. It features an amazing array of chocolate and other candies. Located in Glendale, Arizona; Cerreta's offers a FREE 30 minute special guided fun tour explains how the chocolate candy is made. For the kids they even do a Chocolate Pizza Summer Camp

At the time we went the store also contained a giant chocolate Santa, Arizona Diamondback chocolate baseball, Cardinals chocolate football and giant size chocolate Easter bunny. With all its charm and delicious candy Cerreta’s Fine Chocolate is a to do activity whether you are trying to bet the summer heat. Looking for something to do with your kids, or just try to tame your sweet tooth.

Cerreta Candy Co

5345 West Glendale Avenue

Glendale, AZ 85301-2619

(623) 930-9000

New Jobs

2010-06-18T16:26:00.000-07:00

Both John and I have started new jobs, and as for myself I could not be anymore excited. No more shift work, no more having to cover a shift because of a call off, no more weekends, and all major holidays off. The office opens at 8 and closes at 4:30 p.m. no more worrying if my relief is going to show up

Oh yea, I almost forgot. No more uniform. Casual business attire! Time to go shopping. :-)

I am day 2 into a 38-day job sitting gig, and tonight is my girls night out. (Bunco night!)

God is Good

It is a New Day

Arizona Toy and Doll Museum

2010-06-14T00:30:00.000-07:00

With both John and I in the market for jobs the chances of us taking any vacation this year are slim. So in a quest to do something / anything we have hit a few local places to keep our minds off of the craziness of our lives.

The Arizona Doll and Toy House Museum is a little known yet unique Phoenix travel destination. It features an amazing array of dolls and toys ranging from the 1800’s to the modern era. Most notable is a startling authentic replica of a 1912 schoolroom featuring antique desks with inkwell holes, an antique clock, chalkboards, and student and teacher dolls with era specific clothing.

The museum also contains a Star Wars and GI Joe section that would make any adult male nostalgic for his childhood. With all it’s charm and detail to the past the Arizona Doll and Toy museum is must see summer destination.

Parking is a bit of a hassle as you have to pay to park. You can get your parking ticket validated for a discount price The museum is a small home that was converted into a museum, at the time we went the entrance fee was $3.00 per person, and it is a self guided tour

Heritage and Science Park
7th and Monroe St., SW Corner
602 E. Adams
Phoenix, Arizona 85004-2351

602-253-9337

I will post some of our other of our Phoenix Destinations at a later time.

Wind Of Change

2010-05-27T19:55:00.000-07:00

I would be lying if I said that the past couple of months weren't a challenge. It seems that when it rains, it pours, but I am thankful in the midst. There is so much to be thankful for.
We just got through our first official week of unemployment and I must tell you John has been a real trooper hitting the pavement every day and landing 4-interviews in 2-weeks. Keep your fingers crossed as we know good things will come to those who preserver.
I love my husband, and I have faith... Faith in our marriage and Faith in God. I know that we have what it takes to come through everything stronger. I know that our home lies within each other and lies within God.

I hold steadfast to the scriptures and think of these verses at this time:

So I will not worry or trust in my own understanding. I can cast my burden upon the Lord, for He cares for me. 1 Peter 5:7.

I can be anxious for nothing, but by prayer and supplication let my requests be made known to God, and the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension will guard my heart and mind in Christ Jesus. Phil 4:5-7.

All of these riches are mine, and for this reason, I have a heart of thankfulness. Thanks be to God for His indescribable gift! 2 Corinthians 9:15!

Memory Keepers.

2010-04-08T19:26:00.000-07:00

What will I leave behind once I am gone.

My mom has been doing research amazing research on her genealogy and has recently stated in her blog that she is, "Surprised at how much stuff was tried to be passed on but no one seemed to want it....and it would get left behind or tossed out (even my brother/sister did this); surprised too that my children do not seem to want to carry on the story to future family after I'm gone".

In another blog I have stumbled upon the author has said, " She is surprised at how many of my ancestors have no one left to tell their story. Enlightened that I have found their lives and stories; Humbled that I have the honor of telling those stories".

Which has left me to wonder how important is my story and who will stumble upon it some day and feel it is newsworthy to share? My moms is wrong to think that her children do not seem to want to carry it on after she is gone. I believe that every life is worthy and to what extent it will be shared will really determine what our memories choose to tell.

John and I have no children and the older I get the less chances there will be of us having one unless we choose to adopt and if we did have a child how important or unimportant will it be to find out facts about their history.

The story I will share with others is that of our families faith in God, that we argued, we cried, we fought, we laughed and we loved and amazingly God only brought us closer together from everything and not farther apart. It is that same legacy that has kept us going strong from generations past and generations yet to come. Specific stories of family trips, and life long friends will live on through those who research us

I often refer to my mom as the "Memory Keeper" as she is the one who has the most memories of those who came before us. I believe it is important to write down your memories as they may be important to someone someday who might be interested in knowing. Every life is notable, and every life has a story. That is the most amazing thing about the human race. We all share this wonderful earth but all experience different things. What an amazing gift God has given us, this great thing we call Life.

The legacy that John and I hope to leave behind is our family mission -- not on paper, as I will share it, but a living testimony in the lives of all we come in contact with. The true measure of our success as a family, will be in whether others choose to pass on this legacy in the lives of everyone that they meet.

At the end of our lives if we cried a little to much, laughed a little to loud, or loved a little to much with strangers and / or with the ones we loved I hope you will take the excess and share it with others that will come into your life and share our faith, that will be a true mark of what we "left behind"

Happy Belated (yes, 42nd) birthday

2010-04-07T23:45:00.000-07:00

I

I can not remember if I posted this are not but here are a few pictures taken the night of my birthday and we went out with our families to celebrate.

Me, As of Today

2010-04-03T20:47:00.000-07:00

...i am a christian...i am eternally grateful for the love and grace of God...love terrifies me…but not loving scares me more…nothing is sexier than intelligence...kindness turns me on…selfishness makes me sad…forgiveness is a gift i choose to give often...i love deeply…once i love someone i love them forever, whether they are in my life or not...my family is wonderful...my brothers are the most beautiful people in the world to me…i laugh a lot...i try to remain positive and stay away from negativity (i don't always succeed)…i am very careful about who i let into my life…and what i let into my consciousness…i believe that every thought creates…that everything is energy…and that as humans we connect and react to each other on an energetic level whether we are aware of it or not…i have more walls than i’d like to admit…i realize that being open is very difficult but essential to true happiness…i think the ability to show sensitivity and vulnerability is a sign of strength…and an inability or unwillingness to do so is a sign of weakness...i believe that being deeply loved by others teaches us to love ourselves…i have been known to over communicate a time or two ;) ...feeling misunderstood is very difficult for me...everyday i strive to be a better person…even though most days i think i fail miserably…i always try to follow the teachings of jesus to the best of my ability...i am a perfectionist…yet i love imperfection in others…i am passionate about love, life, and I believe in the over all goodness of mankind…spiritual and emotional growth inspires me to continue living and always keep trying...i am still learning...i love coca cola, that first one in the morning is one of the most delicious parts of my day (literally and figuratively)...i enjoy hiking because i love the sound of the earth beneath my feet...i read am enjoying reading more now than any other time in my life, sometimes multiple books per week...i love to travel (whether it's in my mind or reality :)… australia, thailand, italy, cuba, europe, new york…you name it i plan on seeing it…i am happy living in arizona…but think about moving almost daily…i love the desert but i desperately miss the ocean…the smell…the sound of waves…sinking my toes into sand…one day i will be close to it again…maybe california…maybe hawaii…who knows life is so unpredictable…it’s important to plan…but it’s also important to let go and let what will be…be…the world's suffering saddens me…and i want to make it a better place…i find politics interesting…religious fanatics of any sort scare me...i detest ignorance…i love to be with people but i also love being by myself…i worry about people who do not like to be alone with their thoughts…because that is where the juice is...chaos can stress me out...i generally like things neat and organized...i struggle to learn how to let go...my least favorite sound is voices raised in anger...my favorite sound is silence… my second favorite sound is the sound of wind blowing throughing tree leaves...a big warm hug is the feeling i most enjoy...my favorite words are LOVE & GRACE…because we all need so much of both as we go through the hardships, losses and pain in this crazy, beautiful, wonderful thing we call life...

2010-03-29T23:49:00.001-07:00

We are still anxiously awaiting our First time Home buyers credit. I feel like a sitting duck looking in my bank account everyday and checking the mail. I have checked the IRS website:
Where is my refund, and this is what they tell me:

"Refund Status Results,

We have received your tax return and it is being processed. Unless we find mistakes or you owe other taxes, you should receive your refund by April 27, 2010."

So basically I just sit and wait and wonder if there was a mistake and we owe more than we thought and we are getting back less then what we are anticipating. Ugh! Money! Why does it have to be such an important factor in ones life?

I wish I could say I have something creative and witty to write about but unfortunately life has been about working two jobs, pulling weeds in our backyard, and taking an extra nap every now and then when I can sneak one in. Nothing exciting, nothing blog-able, just very mundane.

I guess I should praise God for that! No, I know I should.

Golden Ticket

2010-03-08T22:19:00.000-08:00

John saw this at the store and picked it up for me. I sure would like to win the Golden Ticket for the the trip around the world. Now I know how Charlie felt. Part of me just does not want to open it because I want to believe the winning ticket is actually in there.

Our house warming party

2010-03-08T00:00:00.000-08:00

A house warming party!

2010-03-07T23:13:00.000-08:00

After 6-months of living in our new home we finally decided to have a house warming party! I have decided I am not a hostess. There is NOTHING about hosting that I like. It stressed me out, I can not cook, and I could not make it around to talk to everyone who came. (Thank you to everyone who pretended to like my tuna sandwiches, and frozen mini pizzas! You are truly real friends!)

John and I feel EXTREMELY blessed to have so many friends that wanted to come out and see our home. My plan is to eventually post a video tour of our home but until then here are a few of many special gifts that we were showered with.

My aunt and Uncle, Me, and my parents

a gift from my parents and my aunt and uncle
A gift from Mrs. Gilman
More flowers from friends

Your morning laugh

2010-02-24T05:17:00.000-08:00

Check this out:

www.marysellslv.blogspot.com

Thanks for all the well wishes.

5-things I am grateful for:

1. My relationship with God
2. My health
3. My family and friends
4. My husband
5. My fur babies. :-)

2010-02-23T09:15:00.000-08:00

I just love this picture. Sort of reflects the craziness of my ordinary life. People often give me grief about how simple life should be for not having children and I just laugh. (People just do not understand anything that is "different"), and honestly, we are not so different.

Between our jobs... John and I stay busy by volunteering with different services in the community, spending time with our families, and just trying to find time to mow our lawn, and get our cars in the shop.

I found this online: Famous Celebrities without Children

Arizona Diamondbacks Fun Fest 2010

2010-02-13T20:24:00.000-08:00

Life has been stressful, busy, and full. Here is a few pictures of how we spent our Saturday over at the ballbark with my dad and my husband.

Diamondback Fun Fest 2010

John and my dad sitting in the dugout

Making Priorities in a Messy World

2010-01-24T16:36:00.000-08:00

I am on a little Hiatus from blogging. Personal things that for now I prefer not post publicly are consuming my life.

Sometimes I get confused about how to make priorities in this messy world. I mean, right now there are countless people buried alive in the rubble in Port-au-Prince, Haiti. The earthquake has left people with so much suffering…I cannot even imagine. I got home from work yesterday and turned on the news to get a more up close look at what people were going through. The news reporter told the story of a man who lost is wife beneath a collapsed building. The husband pressed his hand against a the rubble and held his ear to a concrete slab hoping to hear her tapping below. The tapping came and went. The husband and the rescue workers prayed and dug. The segment ended with the sad reality that they had not found his wife.

The thought of losing John, or my parents shreds my heart. I cannot imagine the pain this guy is experiencing. At this very moment, I am sure he is still digging for his wife. Me? I am at here at at home in one of my two spare rooms blogging. Really makes me reevaluate what my biggest problem is right now. What’s your problem?

How am I supposed to reconcile my life of privilege with the misfortune of others?

I don’t know if there is a clear way to keep my own life moving forward while still caring for the rest of the planet. I do what I can, even if it’s not enough. …I pray for those in need. I donate money to worthy causes…I volunteer my time…I try to be a caring friend and neighbor.

I try not to get enthralled in the dazzle of the material world. Because it’s hard to be a genuine person if you are easily impressed by fortune and fame. I do try to be successful in what I do–career, education, investments–but I constantly remind myself that this too shall pass.

Ultimately, I try to be the best wife, daughter, sister and friend I can be. If every man made their family their top priority, much of our society’s ills would wash away.

::::

Honestly, I am still unsettled about this. About how to make daily priorities in such a messy world. I need to pray more about this.

Genealogy

2010-01-07T22:08:00.001-08:00

My mom has done some great work with some research of her genealogy on her website. Please check it out if you have time.

http://www.marysellslv.blogspot.com/

Warren Family Curse

2010-01-04T12:34:00.000-08:00

In my family we have an ongoing joke about having the "Warren Family Curse". Warren, as most everyone knows is my maiden name and though I thought by taking on Johns last name the curse would go away. I was wrong. You are born into and poor John has now married into it. There is no denying it. Just embrace it!

This is the terms of the curse:

The first part of it is that Warrens were never meant to be rich. Okay... Rich in the terms of money. We will always have to work for what we have and nothing will be easy for us. There is no long lost Aunt nor will we ever be related to anyone with any money.

The second part of the curse: Once one thing goes wrong, everything goes wrong. It can not or will not happen just one at a time it happens all at once that is the beauty of it.

On the flip side: Though things will be rough we will always be surrounded by an abundance of family and friends (who by the way are not millionaires) who love us and would do anything for us.

New Year / New Curse:

Today, I took my car in for a routine oil change. I found this great place right down the street from us that was recommend by some close friends. (25th Street Automotive)

I would personally recommend them and believe they are honest upfront guys and though this venture has now set us back a significant amount of money I still feel they were up front and honest and not trying to break my bank.

However, At this time in my life I should realize that there is no such thing as a simple routine oil change this venture is going to put us back about one in a half months of Mortgage Payments.

Last night while out running errands the check engine light came on! Call it timing or what to go out the day before my car goes in for service.

The long and the short of it is:

A. My check engine light is on because I need a new catalytic converter. This in no way is jeopardizing the safety of me driving the vehicle. However, it will fail an emission check when the time comes. (which by the way is March of 2010)

B. My back breaks need to be replaced. It needs new brakes, rotors, and pads.

C. Break Fluid needs to be drained

D. My break light is out

C. My front to tires apparently are down to the wire. (Which is strange because I thought they were new. I will be calling discount tire on that one.)

Also, for those of you who do not follow me on Facebook.

Just a couple days after Christmas we had our first home catastrophe. The toilet over flowed, and the washing machine water also came up through the toilet. Something that is normally covered in a home warranty the plumier could not find a clear out and will need to go through the roof and through the vent to get to the pipes. (Something the Warranty will not cover!)

The good news... From today forward I expect nothing but good. All the drama happened at the beginning of the year so the rest of the year can be smooth sailing

Christmas

2009-12-27T21:38:00.000-08:00

So enough about Politics and on with the Holiday......

Work kept us busy over the month of December though we both wish we could have more time with each other and less being pulled in different directions, we realise that is not how it always plays out.

We were able to take in a few sights and sounds of the Holiday Season. We went out to Glendale, Arizona's (Historic Glendale) and walked around (with my parents) there outdoor venue to see there light display and take in some good food.

My girlfriends and I did a fabulous cookie exchange, which was mixed with a tasty potluck breakfast and good conversation. Thanks to my dear friend Jennette "Rum Cookies" are my new favorite treat

John and I were able to see "Christmas Carol" the Movie. Which we both loved and found that it really helped us to get into the Holiday Spirit.

Christmas Eve we found our way over to Johns Family home and together with my parents we celebrated. (you can read the highlight on my moms blog)

Christmas Day we found our way over to the "Doucette" Household for a hearty feast of Rib Eye, Potato's, Green Beans, Corn, Biscuits, and Pie. (Yes, It was BETTER than it sounds!)

New Years Eve will hopefully find us home and celebrating in comfort of our new house.

Have a Blessed 2010

Politics

2009-12-25T09:34:00.002-08:00

I am sure I will get some critizism for this but here it goes:

Positions:

I support some of the things that some of the public interest groups advocate, but not all of them. I am pro-business but not willing to close my eyes to its corruption when it exists. I vote Republican 80% of the time.

I support concealed carry laws because they reduce crime, but otherwise oppose the NRA efforts to protect criminals' buying of AK47 assault weapons.

I support capital punishment under certain cases (I'd pull the trigger on Jeffrey Dahmer, but not on Scott Peterson because of the circumstantial evidence). I am also bothered by the timing of DNA tests. What happens if a woman has consensual sex with her boyfriend but is then killed by a jealous suitor. Who goes to the chair? I could live with NO death penalty.

I support voter ID cards to limit voter fraud, and so should the Dems. Nothing could enfranchise the disenfranchised better than issuing ID cards to ensure their right to vote when they arrive at the polling booth. I'd support an automated fingerprint reader system, but my ACLU friends would not.

I support polling booths in large companies so workers do not have to stand hours in line to vote. Issue cards at post offices, banks, welfare offices, etc.. I support voting by mail.

I believe the Fax and Internet has cut the need for the Post Office in half, and they should cut employees and real estate in half. But they should not be used as an example to scuttle other government functions (like health care).

I support optical card readers and oppose touch screen voting machines because they offer no paper trail.

I believe the minimum wage should be indexed to inflation (or congressional pay raises, whichever is greater). I also believe politicians should be forced to take a pay cut in deficit years.
I believe that those receiving welfare and food stamps should perform community services in return. No free lunch. Work for Welfare can serve as a good training tool. Volunteering will help in retraining and restoration of jobs.

I support strong borders and oppose illegal immigration, and would like to see legal immigration increased. I support sanctions against Mexico until they rid their system of the corruption that drives their people out of the country (though I'd also like to rid our system of corruption too). I'd deport the bad immigrants and let the good ones stay and work or serve in the military for citizenship. I oppose sending 100% of them back, because I don't like what having five million newly-emptied homes would do to our economy.

I support stem cell research and would suggest that those who are healthy mind their own business.

I believe that drug users need treatment and drug pushers need long imprisonment.

I'm a Christian but want the churches to stay out of politics and governments to stay out of religion.

When you have religious leaders running a nation, laws will gradually shift to support the tenants of that religion. This, as we see in the fundamentalist Muslim world, will greatly interfere with free speech and personal freedoms, and will stamp out any religion or belief system not belonging to those in power

Believe in whatever god you prefer. You have that right. So do I. But those beliefs shouldn’t be used to justify public policy. What candidates believe shouldn’t be under trial in a public forum, except for those aspects which involve them running their country.

Do we really want elected leaders running our country based on their subjective interpretation of faith, rather than critical thought? Do we want our leaders to act as if their decisions are supported by the will of their particular god

I supported Terry Schaivo's parents but opposed the intervention by Congress and the Supreme Court. Michael Shaivo should have been disqualified because his new wife and family created a conflict of interest. The parents should have had the final say.
(I oppose pulling the troops out of Iraq willy-nilly, would rather see them increased and the country swept for explosives and terrorists, and then split into three geographical religious factions. (If they can't play together they can't stay together.)

So, am I left wing or right wing? Call me what you want.

2009-12-17T17:44:00.000-08:00

I have never quite gotten the knack of decorating but this is our attempt to bring a little Holiday in our home for our first christmas in our first home.

Memphis News.

2009-12-05T12:58:00.000-08:00

Good News / Bad News:

She tested negative for ever having Valley Fever, She tested negative for Tick Fever, and unfortunately, they were not able to get an adequate sample to get a correct reading on her Toxoplasmosis levels to get a conclusive diagnosis.

Every other parameter came back with in range. Thyroid, Liver, and Kidneys.

They found no heart Murmur.

So whats next? Will she have this episode again? More then likely.

Since the "Normal" tests have been ran and came back good they need to start looking outside the "box" and test for some not so common theories. If we can discover what originally triggered her Neurological Disorder we can no how to treat it.

They are still recommending we see a Vet that specializes in Neurology. We will see how we handle that decission as time goes on. She has had no other episodes since last Monday and as far as what is causing her to have these episodes are yet to be determined, and how this may effect the quality of her life we do not know the answer to that either.

There are many questions still left unanswered and we are uncertain at the this time if we will even be able to get answers. She needs to see a specialist something we just can not afford at this time.

Thanksgiving 2009

2009-12-04T08:38:00.000-08:00

Here or some pictures from Thanksgiving. If you want to see more find me on Facebook.

Sharing my life online is wonderful! I like the fact that I can share my life with those I care about around the world that do not see me on a day to day basis or do not see me for periods of time.
This is my way of letting everyone know I am here and would like to stay close whether it is through email, blogging, or FB.

My Family 2009The band on my head was given to me by the waitress. It was 70's night

My dad and I - 11/2009

A good cheese cake recipe

2009-12-04T08:33:00.000-08:00

Cheese Cake:

Crust:

24 Graham Crackers (Singles) (Crushed)
1 T. Sugar
1/4 pound butter (melted)
Mix ingredients together and press into spring form pan covering bottom and half way up sides.

Filling:

4-Eggs (Beaten until smooth)
1 cup sugar
1 1/2 pound cream cheese (room temp)
1 T. Lemon Juice
Dash Cinnamon
Pour over crust and bake at 325 * for 40 minutes

While warm, top with 1/2 pint sour cream sweetened with 3 T. sugar and 1 tsp. Vanilla. Chill over night if possible.

Enjoy!

My idea

2009-12-03T11:42:00.000-08:00

The vets office told us that Memphis is not a German Shepard Mix as we were originally told but a Whippet Mix. (Probably mixed with German Shepherd, but predominately a Whippet) we also have reason to believe that Memphis is not 2 1/2 but closer to 6. So the vet decided we should make her "6" as of 12/3/09. So Happy Birthday Memphis. Memphis health is still being determined. We have not heard back from the Vet in regards to the blood work. (The blood work will determine if she ever had valley fever, the mumps, or any other type of illness that might have lead to her neurological problem.) The doctor believes she probably has canine distemper and or degenerative myelopathy. As far as really understanding the depth of her neurological disorder we would need to take her to a Veterinarians office that specializes in Neurological Disorders. This would involve her getting an MRI. (Way out of our ballpark of this ever happening based on $$)

So I have idea........

The Bible Says: All animals belong to God (Psalm 24:1). So,we should all help in caring for them.

It is not a new idea , and I have researched a little on the Internet but the concept of the idea is few far and in between.

I want to partner up with someone and start a non profit origination for owners who own pets and can not afford extensive cost involved in there pets medical needs. I am not talking about routine vaccinations or getting your pet spade or neutered. I am talking about pets who quality of life would benefit from surgeries or treatment that may be to costly for there owners. Animals that need insulin, pets that have neurological disorders, you get it. There are foundations out there but they are slim pickins. My thought is that someone would write grants, collect private donations, solicit animal hospitals to volunteer there services, etc. and then we would have people write in with there story and try to choose a family accordingly and hopefully help with some of there pet costs. We can post there story online and share with the world.,we can put plugs in on the blogs for the services that support us, etc.

Any ideas or any takers? I would not even know were to start.

Memphis

2009-12-01T11:50:00.000-08:00

Bad News, We have reason to believe that our latest addition to our Family "Memphis" has Canine Degenerative Myelopathy and / or Canine Distemper. (Google it) We are still waiting for a 'formal" diagnosis from the blood work being done. When the blood work comes back we will be able to discover a few thing but there but there is no way we can figure out the "official" problem without visiting a Veterinarian Neurologist. Unfortun. We do not have the money for this at this time and are concerned about the quality of her life. I will write more about what we know once we get the blood work back (72-hours) and what our next step will be. Does anyone know of any kind of pet care assistance for people who want to get good quality care for the pets without going broke?

Finally an update

2009-11-23T08:28:00.001-08:00

I try to post pictures on a regular basis but a written blog seems to be few far and in between.

Life has been great! John and I are finally starting to feel like we are settling into the house. We are still in desperate need of a few solid pieces of furniture to get the rest of stuff out of boxes but we are trying to pace ourselves with our spending so we do not go into debt. The bedrooms are still in need of a paint job but I figure we have the "rest of our lives" to settle in.

My parents have "officially" moved to the Phoenix area! Woo Hoo.. and though my life is busy with balancing work, home, and life I am so excited they are 6.5 miles from my home.

In three days both of my brothers will be in Phoenix for Thanksgiving! In years past we have all traveled up to Vegas where my parents were, another great thing about my parents living locally is that we will have more visitors. This will be the first year in a long time I / We will not be going to Vegas for the holiday, I will dearly miss my Vegas friends but we are hoping to go visit after the first of the year.

It has been a long stressful yet rewarding year. As most of you know who follow this blog in May I was laid off of my teaching job and an opportunity at my "other" job to go full time presented itself and though the transition has been stressful I am very grateful i have a job that provides me with opportunity. I enjoy it and the challenges it gives me daily. In June I landed a part time job with ChildHelp which I am grateful for. It is only about 6-9 hours a week which is okay I am exited about it because I feel I still have a strong passion and love for the kids and fell like I am able to give something back when I am serving them.

John is three years into his job, and when we are not working we love to take advantage of all that Arizona has to offer. We are looking forward to a New Year and all that it is going to bring us.

Seans Soccor Tournament

2009-11-14T19:10:00.000-08:00

Here are a few pictures from Seans soccor tournament on Saturday.

Can you find him in this picture?

John entertaining Aarron

2009-11-13T16:05:00.000-08:00

lazy bones

2009-11-11T21:39:00.000-08:00

these two really have it rough, but they bring me so much happiness.

Surprise

2009-11-02T00:07:00.000-08:00

As most everyone knows John turned 40 this year! I was able to pull of a surprise part for him at a local pub. Together with our Families and friends (One of our friends from Las Vegas flew in and was part of the surprise also) we celebrate Johns 40th Birthday.

When all was said and done I can not say how happy I am with everything. God has been so good and life has turned out so well. Though nothing is perfect both John and I are so blessed to have so many wonderful people in our life to make our lives so rich.

(I know that sounds cheesy but it came from the heart!)

Most of the pictures I will put on Facebook but this is a small collection of some of the highlights.

October 2009

2009-11-01T22:58:00.000-08:00

Life has just been going full force. The move and getting settled has been huge, at one point I even said to John I was not sure if I was able to get a grove or a routine back. Fortunately I was wrong and things though far being done they are calming down.

October is Johns favorite time of year. For starters his birthday lands on Halloween, the weather cools down in Phoenix, we celebrate our Anniversary, and we can have fun enjoying all the season has to offer. Below are some pictures of a house party we went to on October 30th and John proudly showing off the jack-o-lantern him and I made one evening in our new home.

Enjoy!

The Guys

The Girls

John doing his signature Vulcan sign

This does not look scary at ALL! LOL

Johns Master Piece!

Letter to Santa - 2009

2009-11-01T21:33:00.000-08:00

Is it to early to start sending a letter to Santa? Or am I too old to send one?

Oh well I am going to do it anyway.....

Dear Santa:

I have tried to be very good this year and though I have failed I did have good intentions. I am hoping you will show mercy on me and consider my wish list. (In no particular order )

1. More free time with my husband

2. More time to laugh with my friends

3. Photoshop for my PC

4. A new pair of slippers (Size 10)

5. Movie passes

P.S..... Thank you in advance and please know.... I STILL BELIEVE!

Memphis

2009-10-19T07:46:00.000-07:00

"Memphis' is a German Shepard mix and is the latest addition to the Polychrones clan. She is a little over 2-years old. She has been given to us from a friend who loves her dearly but is not in the position to care for her at this time.

We could not be more excited.

Shed Cleaning - The Beginning

2009-10-12T17:03:00.001-07:00

This turned out to be about a 4-hour project. Fortunately for me the weather was perfect. Whew.... I must say I did do a good job!

The Middle

2009-10-12T16:59:00.000-07:00

The End!

2009-10-12T16:42:00.000-07:00

2009-10-10T17:34:00.000-07:00

Here is a randomly raw and rare blog about me complaining maybe just a little bit. I figure this blog does not need to wear rose colored glasses to portrait my life but should also portray the same trials that everyone feels at some point.

I feel like I owe my friends and family an update on my life. Basically, the past several weeks have been a whirlwind of challenges. I have three groups in my life who expect a lot from me: 1) My family, my husband, and our home 2) My team at work 3) my "other" job. There is no such thing as a lazy twenty minutes in my day. I need every waking moment to be purposeful or this whole thing unravels.

I like the idea of a challenge because it tugs on my ego’s desire to accomplish something I didn’t know I could. That’s why it is easy to get drawn into tales of others overcoming challenges. Make no mistake, when you are in the middle of a challenge, it sucks. I do keep an attitude of gratitude, but the reality is there is no romance in being pulled in three directions all day.

I don’t feel like a hero or a champion. I feel tired.

Moving Forward

2009-10-06T11:00:00.000-07:00

The move is "officially" over and as we weed through the boxes I wonder if our life will ever get back to "normal". For some reason this was the most stressful move I have ever done. All the years of moving I have tried to minimize my belongings to whatever I can put in the back of my car I will keep. Not this time, lots of boxes of treasures plus all of my husbands belongings. Now that is all in the house, this would be a good time to hire a professional organizer to help me weed through and find a good home for everything.

Lots of our friends came out of the woodwork to help us move. This really made the transition go smoothly and we are forever grateful. Though nothing is perfect I will keep the extreme highs and the extreme lows left for those to reminisce over at the holiday table, or coffee conversation. We can look back reflect, laugh, and grow from our experience.

My home pc is not going to be hooked up until Thursday. After going back and forth with what service to use John and I thought it would be the most cost efficient to stay with the same service. Avoid installation fees and just transfer services. BIG MISTAKE! I was given an ETA for hook up on Monday from 7 a.m. - 7 p.m.! Really? 7 a.m. - 7 p.m. that is ridiculous! At 6:30 p.m. nobody showed up and I called customer service. She assured me she spoke with the tech and he would be out before 7 p.m. No one showed up. I called again. They said his notes show he was out there but did not have access to the Alley way. Alley Way? WE do not have an alley behind our home. This guy never showed up, he did not drive by our neighborhood. I was home the entire time. Someone is not being truthful. Now I have to wait until Thursday because that is my next day off! Lovely, No cable, no internet how in the world am I going to survive! LOL

Our Kitchen Oven / Stove

2009-09-27T18:46:00.000-07:00

Here is something you do not see much of anymore. The oven is probably original to the 1949 house. Thought everyone would get a good laugh out of it.

But do not knock it to much. Believe it our not it works! Yes... We will be investing in a new one.

Yea!

2009-09-25T17:59:00.000-07:00

The house is a done deal! We have the keys in hand. The previous owners were so kind to leave us our first housewarming gift of some flowers and a very heartwarming card. I was so taken back by their kind words I had to hold back the tears.

USA: Help Make Pet Care More Affordable--Support the HAPPY Act!

2009-09-23T09:55:00.000-07:00

H.R. 3501—Humanity and Pets Partnered Through the Years (“HAPPY”) ActSponsor: Rep. Thaddeus McCotter (R-MI)ASPCA Position: SupportAction Needed: Write to your U.S. representative today to urge him or her to support and cosponsor the HAPPY Act, H.R. 3501.

U.S. Representative Thaddeus McCotter has introduced the Humanity and Pets Partnered Through the Years (“HAPPY”) Act, legislation to allow individuals to claim tax deductions for qualified pet care expenses. The bill would allow any taxpayer who legally owns one or more domesticated animals to take an annual income tax deduction of up to $3,500 for pet care expenses, including veterinary care costs.

Pet care can be expensive—and in these trying economic times, families all over the country have been forced to give up their pets because of financial hardship. The HAPPY Act is important because it will help Americans provide their pets with the medical attention and quality of life they deserve, while also ensuring that more pets get to remain in their loving homes and don’t wind up on the streets or in the already overburdened shelter system.

What You Can Do:

Use the link below to write a letter to email your U.S. representative now and urge him or her to support and cosponsor the HAPPY Act, H.R. 3501! Please keep in mind that personal comments strengthen the impact of your letter.

https://secure2.convio.net/aspca/site/Advocacy?cmd=display&page=UserAction&id=2605&JServSessionIdr002=iobhn8t284.app23b

WildLife Zoo 2009

2009-09-21T10:51:00.000-07:00

Phoenix Wildlife Zoo

Photoscape.com

Saving Money

2009-09-21T09:18:00.000-07:00

Are you saving money, do you want to still eat our on a budget. or are you looking for a great gift to get someone at a cheap price?

Check out this website:

restaurants.com

VA Appraisal VS a "Regular" Appraisal

2009-09-13T09:17:00.000-07:00

(Keep in mind this is a 60-year old home, in the Arcadia part of Phoenix)

This issue has been confusing us for quite awhile now and though it is a little more involved then the below definition this is what we understand:

A "regular" appraisal is used for a conventional loan and is just going to determine value. A VA appraisal, like an FHA appraisal, also looks at functionality and safety of the home. They will look for foundation issues, exposed wiring issues, and everything that is intended to function on a home has to be functioning. VA appraisers usually take forever as there aren't very many around approved for VA appraising.

Luckily for us the second part of this statement did not hold true. Our appraiser came out only 4-days after it was ordered and it went well. They appraised the home at 166K and we are paying 165! Woo Hoo!

The repairs needed to the home are very minimal, at least according to the home inspection. None of the issues were a concern of with V.A. The sellers has agreed to do some repairs to the home before we move in and they are also asking to move up our closing date! I am game for that. However, Our original closing date was set for 9/29 so I am not sure how much "quicker" this will happen. The 29th is only 17-days away and they need to do repairs, and it still needs to go through the underwriters.

Please continue to pray for us.

We will post more pictures after we get the keys.... Stay tune.

Local Celebrity - Mike Chamberlin

2009-09-13T08:51:00.000-07:00

So I am a loyal watcher to Channel 3 Local News KTTV. Especially, there morning show. At my workplace the other day one past local anchormen came in. At first I thought, This man looks vaguely familiar but then realized I recognized him from T.V. Wow I thought I hit the jackpot win I realized I was right and though he has been retired to Phoenix for the past 6-months and has relocated to pursue other interests it was exciting to see him. When I asked him about it he was very nice to say it was him that I recognized from T.V. I can not begin to say how NICE he was.

http://www.singingtvguy.com/articles/tribune-retirement.shtml

This is a link to his Christmas album he is putting out:

http://www.mikeschristmascountdown.com/order.shtml

Poor Jonesy

2009-09-10T10:35:00.001-07:00

We have two cats. Jones is a 14-year old Tabby and Millie is a 2 year old tabby. Lately Jonesy has been acting out. He has decided it is okay to pee and poop on the beds. He does not do this when we are not home he does it when we ARE home! He has even gone as far as doing his business while we are in the bed. Ugh!

He is an old cat and we want to do right but at what cost? We took him to the doctor and they discovered he was a diabetic however, this does not contribute to his behavioral problems and they ruled out any illness. We do not just want to "get rid of him" we would like to exhaust all of our options before taking any drastic steps. It has been suggested to us to get two different kitty litter boxes, and to try a product called Feliway .

Any suggestions out there or any suggestions where to take him if it comes down to it?

2009-09-04T09:08:00.000-07:00

This is a link to some information about what I do on the side a few hours a week:

http://www.childhelp.org/programs/homeless

2009-08-31T21:07:00.000-07:00

The flash was not on but I thought this was cute: Not really sure what cats think or why Miss Millie likes to sit in our laundry basket

Our home inspection

2009-08-30T21:53:00.001-07:00

After several months of beating the pavement in the brutal Arizona sun we finally put an offer in on a home! They counter offered and we accepted!

I can not begin to tell you how many home's we have looked at some of them in very bad shape. We actually put an offer in on one home about 2-weeks ago and were out bidded by another buyer. I was starting to feel beaten at defeated.

However, We have found something that we both just love. It is a charming 1949 home, and for those of you who know a little about Phoenix it is in the Arcadia area. I do not want to put to much detail onto a public blog but I would be glad to email you anything specific you are interested in knowing.

The house is a seller owned property! Not a foreclosure, or a short sell. They are excited that a couple and not an investor is wanting to take it over.

Today was the home inspection and the inspector gave us a good report. Nothing is perfect, but he gave us the impression for the most part the home is built on a solid foundation and did not see any major issues. We are anxious to go in with some fresh paint and give it our own personal touch.

I am still not trying to get to over excited. So many things can still go wrong. We are asking for a closing date on 9/29/09 so am I asking everyone to just pray. Pray for Gods Will to be done and if he sees fit for this to be our first home than let everything go smoothly and if it is not in his plan to let us have an open heart and listen to where he wants us to be.

I have noticed as I have gotten older I have become more nervous of a person. I worry about everything. This house hunting experience though it has been very rewarding as been very trying for me also.

Useful Online Shopping tool

2009-08-23T08:12:00.000-07:00

I was recently introduced to a valuable online shopping resource that I wanted to share. It is called Become.com and it allows you to compare prices, read product reviews, and gives you a buying guide to find the right product at the best price. I was recently researching a Bluray DVD player and Become.com gave me a list of stores that carried what I was looking for as well at the current price. Nice!

Also, the Become.com shopping guides are a very handy resource if you want to save money on your next online purchase. They have information on over 25 million products at 5,000 stores. 25 million? Wow, that is almost as many items as we have in our junk drawer.

August 2009

2009-08-22T08:51:00.000-07:00

The rain came down so hard last night that I could hardly sleep. Some people love the rain but me for some reason a west coaster at heart prefers the sunshine and the watery beaches. My husband managed to find himself in bed for the night by 8:15 p.m. Myself on the other hand did not even attempt to lye down until about 11 p.m and then I tossed and turned all night just looking at the clock wishing the night away. So much on my mind and the pounding of the rain, my sleeping pill did not seem to kick in.

Last week was rough. John’s car was back in the shop again, and for the second time in two months we were told we were going to have to replace the clutch. The first time we paid over $600 dollars to get it fixed so we were a little taken back to hear there was a problem with it again. Apparently, The fork clutch and balls needed to be replaced and apparently this is not part of basic clutch repair. Unless there is something obviously wrong, the fork clutch and balls do not get addressed. The problem is now they have to drop the whole transmission to replace a $65.00 part and pay another $225.00 for labor.

This week we had a flood in our kitchen. The garbage disposal has been on the brink for the past year or so and we have not been using it. It got to the point were the sink was filling up full and was slow to drain. Yesterday once it all went down I hear a gushing sound coming from under the sink. The water came out like a flood and ruined everything under the sink. Then last night while suffering from my insomnia I started cleaning out the guest room closet. (The wall of the closet backs to the kitchen) I noticed that the carpet was soaked and many things were ruined from water damage! We are working aggressively on fixing it but what will end up being fixed is yet to be determined.

We have also been diligent on our quest to find a home and though as of today nothing as prevailed itself to us. John is heading out tomorrow morning with our realtor.

On a lighter note, I saw a great movie and would recommend everyone to see it or read the books. “Julia and Julia”. Nora Ephron's screenplay is adapted from two books: My Life in France, Child's autobiography, written with Alex Prud'homme, and a memoir by Julie Powell. In August 2002, Powell started documenting online her daily experiences cooking each of the 524 recipes in Child's Mastering the Art of French Cooking, and she later began reworking that blog, The Julie/Julia Project, into a book, Julie & Julia: 365 Days, 524 Recipes, 1 Tiny Apartment Kitchen .
I discovered I have a strong liking to Julia Childs and may research her life a little more. I feel I can relate to her life on many aspects. We all know I am no chief! However, She lived single for many years and married later in life, struggled to find her place in society without a child of her own even though she would have loved to have had one it never worked out.

House Hunting

2009-08-04T15:20:00.000-07:00

We have been hard core house hunting over the past 4- weeks. Pretty much anytime that we have off we are trying to squeeze in seeing another home or a town home. With the housing market in the shape it is in we are hoping to cash in on a good deal however, a lot of the homes we have seen that are in a foreclosure appear to have had the life kicked out of them. (potential water damage, roof problems) you name it. It is bothersome the amount of unlivable homes out there and I am concerned who is going to buy them and if they plan investing into them or just turning them around as rentals.

We would love to get a home if it can work out, but are open to a town home if we can strike a deal. We came close to putting in an offer this week on a house but after driving by the neighborhood more then once we had second thoughts. The house itself we loved but the house next to it was over grown and it seemed like every other house in the neighborhood was pretty run down. So for now we have decided against it and to move forward with looking at more houses. We have found a town home in an area we like. It is a huge complex but are holding off on moving forward with it in the hopes of finding an actual house. The good news is there is multiple listing in the town home complex so we are hoping that if we do not find a house something will be for sell in the town home complex when it comes time.

We will keep you posted.

Our Sedona Trip 2009

2009-07-26T21:11:00.000-07:00

Taking in the Red Rock and appreciating the scenery

Sedona July 2009 - Our Trolley Tour of the Town

2009-07-26T21:02:00.000-07:00

Our Sedona Trip - July 2009

2009-07-26T20:52:00.000-07:00

The Church of the Holy Cross (Click on the name and it will take you to some information about the history of the church.)

Our life in the doghouse

2009-07-26T09:05:00.000-07:00

A little something John and I do on the side:

ourlifeinthedoghouse.blogspot.com

My visit to the doctor

2009-07-25T22:11:00.000-07:00

A couple of weeks ago I went into the doctor for my annual routine physical a couple days later I got a call saying I had to come back in so the doctor could go over the results of my blood test.

I was not too worried about this, a couple years back a similar scenario happened and the doctor told me I have a Thyroid problem that is now under control with the help of medication. So my first thought was my Thyroids were out of wack again and they were going to re-adjust my medication.

Well I was wrong, Nothing major but now I am having problems with my HDL (Good Cholesterol)

What is your HDL? The Internet has an abundance of information on it but here is a recap:

HDL cholesterol, or "good" cholesterol, appears to scour the walls of blood vessels, cleaning out excess cholesterol. It then carries that excess cholesterol -- which otherwise might have been used to make the "plaques" that cause coronary artery disease -- back to the liver for processing. So when we measure a person's HDL cholesterol level, we seem to be measuring how vigorously his or her blood vessels are being "scrubbed" free of cholesterol.

HDL levels below 40 mg/dL result in an increased risk of coronary atery disease, even in people whose total cholesterol and LDL cholesterol levels are normal. HDL levels between 40 and 60 mg/dL are considered "normal." However, HDL levels greater than 60 mg/dL may actually protect people from heart disease.

My reading came in at 36 so we are taking a proactive approach to getting it back up into the safety zone. For starters I am going to work up to working out 60-minutes a day 5-days a week. With my hectic schedule this is going to be difficult for me but I am committed to living my best life, the one God intended for me. The second thing I am taking an Vitamin B3. (Niacin) once a day as recommended by my doctor and lastly, in 2-month's I will be back getting another blood test to see how I am doing.

If anyone else as any other suggestions I am open to hear how others treat their low "Good" Cholesterol.

Cholesterol testing:

It is recommended by the American Heart Association to test cholesterol every 5 years for people aged 20 years or older.

A blood sample after fasting is taken by a doctor or a home cholesterol monitoring device to determine a lipoprotein profile. This measures total cholesterol, LDL (bad) cholesterol, HDL (good) cholesterol and triglycerides. It is recommended to have cholesterol tested more frequently than 5 years if a person: has total cholesterol of 200 mg/dL or more, if a man over age 45 or a woman over age 50, has HDL (good) cholesterol less than 40 mg/dL, or other risk factors for heart disease and stroke.

Dust Storm

2009-07-22T08:10:00.000-07:00

These pictures were taken last week from our dust storm we had here in Phoenix the earlier part of the week. ( I am sneezing just looking at them!)

What we have been up to

2009-06-26T19:36:00.001-07:00

So far the summer is just flying by. We have been busy working and I have been busy looking for a job since I was laid off at the school. After many dead end interviews something has finally opened up for me. I usually try to keep my work and the locations of my job out of my blog for privacy reason but I did land a job with a company called Childhelp. I will be working at one of the branches and not their corporate office. If you want any other information about the specifics of the job call me or e-mail me I will be glad to tell you. Or feel free to look at their website. It is just a part time job for now so I will be hanging onto my "other" job for a while since I am working close to 40-hours a week.

No big vacation plans for us as we plan to move forward with our plans to buy a home by the end of the year.

Update on below blog

2009-06-23T22:06:00.001-07:00

This story just went from beyond belief to horrific. Please pray for this family and hold them close in your heart.

Click Below:

Missing boy found slain; uncle sought

Police search for man, boy following murder

2009-06-21T08:54:00.001-07:00

Dear friends:

I know the kid referred to in this article. He was in one of my youth programs I worked in about 6-years back. His grandmother had custody of him and his sister. Though I have not kept in touch with them over the years if I ran into them here or there we would definitely chat. I ask that you please pray for this kid and his family.

Please click on the below link:

Police search for man, boy following murder

Shared via AddThis

Ice Skating

2009-06-19T15:45:00.000-07:00

I am not exactally sure what I was thinking when some of my friends decided to go ice skating. Me in my fearless mind thought sure! I can ice-skate. I went about 15 years ago and I was pretty good. Well needless to say when I first got out there I thought, "what in the world was I thinking, I am 41-years old I am going to break a bone". However, within 15-minutes of thinking I was afraid I was off like a bolt of lightening. Like I had been skating on ice my whole life.

2-DiamondBack Games in 2-days

2009-05-30T15:25:00.000-07:00

Well not for me but for John, two games in two days would have been to much (Yes, I am old) so he invited a friend.

Friday 5/30 we went to the 6:40 p.m. game courtesy of some free tickets from a friend and then again on Saturday. Saturday's game was really luck. John entered a Miller Lite Sweepstakes online from a 12 pack he bought and entered in a code from the box online, and about a week later he found out he scored 2- prime sets at the game.

Here is the details and a picture of the seating area:

The Miller Lite Diamond Club is an upscale club located in right field on the main concourse level at Chase Field. With no reserved seats, plenty of lounge and bar seating is available on a first-come basis to watch a D-backs game from one of the best views in the ballpark. A large amount of standing room is also available in the 270-person capacity club to mingle with friends or business associates. The Miller Lite Diamond Club will remain open for a limited time after all home games and will feature live entertainment at select games.

The Miller Lite Diamond Club features a pool table, 11 plasma televisions, a dedicated sound system to play current hits, a chef preparing food, and a full-service bar and cocktail staff. D-backs fans also have a front-row seat to watch FSN Arizona's "Miller Lite Diamondbacks Live" pre-game show, hosted by Todd Walsh, and the "Qwest Diamondbacks Live" post-game show, hosted by Brad Steinke, televised live from the Miller Lite Diamond Club before and after most home games.

Fallen soldier's pooch gets a ticket out of Iraq

2009-05-30T13:07:00.001-07:00

Below is a link to a bittersweet but heart-warming story for one very lucky dog.

Somewhere in Iraq today, a little yellow dog named Laia is starting the treacherous journey of a lifetime to the U.S., but the soldier who rescued her won't be part of her homecoming.

http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/31003571/from/ET/

bradsandbows.com

2009-05-25T18:55:00.001-07:00

So here is a shameless plug for a great website and business my friend maintains and runs.

If you want someone to do amazing things with your favorite pictures or if you are looking to buy cute custom cards for any occasion, think about using her service. You will not regret it.

http://www.bradsandbows.com/

2009-05-23T17:50:00.000-07:00

Well I am officially laid off at the school I work at. Since it is only a 9-month program it has not really hit me too hard yet. When August rolls around and I will not be going to back I am certain reality will sink in. The past month in a half has really taken a toll on my emotionally and physically. It is bittersweet but it is over.

I am working full time this summer at what I used to refer to as my "other" job. I guess now I will refer to it as my "only" job. I have also signed up for a ballet class at the local community college on Tuesday nights. Hopefully the summer will sail by quickly without to many bumps.

John and I went looking at houses the other day just to start getting a feel for what we can get in the area that we are wanting to live in. It was very exciting so see what our money can get us.

I will try to post some pictures of us with Johns Mom. We took her out to a restaurant called "Bacchanals" for Mothers Day. We had a great time.

The Love Dare: By Stephen and Alex Kendrick

2009-05-09T22:16:00.000-07:00

John and I realize that our marriage is far from perfect and in the quest to build on our marriage we or should I say John has done some research on some books we stumbled across; "The Love Dare". John is very open to reading it and going through the process together. We heard of these books through the church we attend occasionally and on television. (Kirk Cameron did the movie "Fireproof" based ont the books and also promotes the books.)

We both realize that true love is really an amazing thing. We have both come to the conclusion that if we could invest as much time into our marriage as we spend at work we would both be different people. One of our personal goals for 2009 is to work on our marriage. No, our marriage is not in trouble by any means however, we want to grow together as a couple and we want to make our marriage as strong as possible. If we live our full life expectancy our jobs will be meaningless at the end of our lives but or love for each other will over power any job or obstacle we may occur.

So as we venture into this book / devotionals together we ask for prayer. Prayer for both of us to keep an open mind and an open heart.

Sean's 9th birthday

2009-05-03T10:56:00.000-07:00

This year John's nephew turned 9! In a frantic last minute rush to find him the Nintendo DS game: Mario & Luigi: Partners in Time, we made it to the birthday party 20-minutes late due to the fact we ended up going to 3 different stores looking for this Nintendo Game.

Sean is the one with the crazy hair and the tye dyed shirt. We think he is a great kid with a good heart. We enjoyed spending his birthday with him.