Doctor Family

RAOK #14

2011-12-10T19:27:00.003-06:00

Today we joined the members of Asbury United Methodist Church in a community service project. The first step was to check in and pick out which activity we wanted to do as a family

We chose #10, Walt Whittman Elementary School where we hosted a Christmas party for the students and their families.

At our post, we helped the kids make birthday cards for orphans in Uganda.

Other posts had crafts, games, cookie decorating, etc.

And finally, we wrapped up our morning of service by helping label books in the school library.

A great way to spend a Saturday morning as a family and share a little RAOK.

RAOK #12 & #13

2011-12-02T08:25:00.003-06:00

My friend Tracy Thompson forwarded me a link to a blog recently. She said that she knew I would just love it. And I do.

The specific post that inspired me was regarding Random Acts of Christmas Kindness. The blog post was from 2010 and yet timeless. More recently, the blogger posted blank templates for the cards that she used for the project. I've since borrowed the idea and am currently doing what I can to implement my own RAOK this Christmas season.

Yesterday I paid for the coffee of the guy behind me in the drive thru. Today I taped $1.25 to the pop machine and attached one of the cards. I am having a ball!

Family, Holidays and a Child's Innocence

2011-11-29T09:58:00.003-06:00

Not unlike what most people experience, the end of the year bring about a time for reflection. I find myself doing more and more of that every single day and not necessarily when something momentous occurs and here lately, my mind has been very active.

Thanksgiving was wonderful. I had 4.5 days with family. I was productive, I shared time with my husband, my kids, my parents, my in-laws, etc. I spent time on the ranch and watched my kids climb on hay bales, marvel over baby calves and watched wild cats climb pieces of wood with the freedom and grace of a gazelle. I spent time at my parents home and watched my husband fish in the pond. I spent time with friends, shopped, drank wine and ate good food. I prayed. I'm grateful, my cup runneth over.

And today my son turned 10 years old. I don't normally get emotional about such celebrations. My mom always taught me that we parents spend our lives preparing our children so we can bless and release them. And yet this one is hard for me for whatever reason. It's double digits. It means that he has fewer years remaining in my household than he's had with me thus far. It means he's approaching the teenage years. And even at his birthday party I was amazed at the transition he and his friends are going through. They all came with their iPods, iPhones, etc. and yet they weren't too cool to play hide-n-seek, Army men, or go to a PG rated Christmas film. I am so incredibly proud of my little man and I cannot wait to share the next decade watching him grow into a man. I am so proud. My cup runneth over.

RAOK #11 - One Pint Down

2011-09-09T13:12:00.003-05:00

I've been busy brainstorming on things I can do in rememberance of the 9/11 attack that happened almost 10 years ago. I had come up with an idea or two on RAOK activities that would involve my children and I still want to do more. Although I cannot do all that I'd like to do, I can do some.

My friend Tracy Thompson mentioned that she'd read some suggestions about how to remember that tragic day, one of which was the giving of blood. What a fabulous idea and why hadn't I thought of that?!

So today I took my lunch hour at the local chapter of the American Red Cross. It has been a very long time since I last donated. In fact, they had my maiden name on file and I've been happily married for 13.5 years. I was admittedly afraid that I might pass out or hurl on the tile but I ventured forth.

I gave my pint, drank my Diet Coke and ate some complimentary popcorn (it's a snack vending paradise in there!). I asked oodles of questions about my blood, platelets, plasma, etc. and what would happen to it. I was told that single pint would go towards saving up to two lives. Not a bad way to spend the lunch hour if I may say so.

When was the last time you donated?

RAOK #10

2011-03-29T08:28:00.002-05:00

Clearly I'm not reaching my goal of doing one RAOK per week but I'm making an effort regardless. Today I left $20 for the dry cleaners clerk to apply to the next patron's bill. She was a little uneasy about holding the cash, wondering if she'd get in trouble with the boss for doing such a thing. Of course I figure as long as they're making their money, it doesn't matter who it comes from. And ultimately she decided to participate because she felt like it was "a good thing". Her only other concern was that it go to someone worthy. I told her it didn't matter. It's random. And while whomever the recipient is may not need the financial help, they may be in need of an emotional lift today. Hopefully $20 will improve someones spirits today, or maybe restore a little bit of faith in mankind and all the while, save them some money on a much overpriced service.

ROAK #9

2011-03-02T21:20:00.003-06:00

Today I ordered a bouquet of fresh spring flowers to be delivered to a dear friend who lives 300 miles away...just because she deserves it!

RAOK #8

2010-12-23T10:54:00.002-06:00

I've really fallen behind on my ROAK series but it's not because it isn't on my mind at all times. I've just been lazy which is especially awful considering that this is the Christmas season. But I promise to stick with it.

Today's RAOK was especially random. I was headed to the ATM to do a check deposit when I saw a small group of people gathered around a car that was having some obvious mechanical problems. Admittedly, I found the blocked driveway to be a bit of an inconvenience. And although it was 27 degrees and I was in shorts and covered in sweat (coming from the gym) I stopped to see how I could help.

As it turned out, I was the only one of the group with jumper cables and naturally I volunteered to help. So I swung my car around, stood in the cold and helped the poor girl get a move on. It wasn't my greatest RAOK but it beats driving off and staying warm for my own selfish reasons.

RAOK #7

2010-11-15T21:13:00.004-06:00

I'm a little late in reporting this RAOK. The latest act happened about 2 weeks ago. The story goes like this.

A couple days a week, I travel to downtown B.A. to participate in an early morning bootcamp workout session. And every morning, on my way home from the workout, I drive by an old auto service shop on the corner of Main St. There is an older gentleman who opens up shop and he regularly stands outside and offers me a friendly wave as I drive by. After months of sharing this exchange, I found myself honking and throwing a wave out my sunroof window in hopes that he catches my gesture. And he does. He will come running into the parking lot to recriprocate my wave with a smile and wave of his own. And he has no idea how much joy this brings me. Maybe it's his smile, his trot or perhaps it's the routine of the cxchange that I enjoy. Regardless, it makes me happy and gets my day started in such a pleasant manner.

So last Tuesday, I bought a dozen donuts and made a pit stop at the auto shop. I met Marvin. I told him how much I enjoy seeing him during my drive by. And though I'll probably never speak to him again, I found him offering up a wave and a smile on Thursday. He's reliable. He's friendly. And maybe he'll pass a little kindness someone else's way.

RAOK #6

2010-10-23T06:26:00.008-05:00

This weeks RAOK was the most emotionally moving one thus far.

I purchased three QuikTrip prepaid gas cards. I decided to randomly pass them out to unassuming people.

My first recipient was a 30ish Hispanic woman who had her 1-2 year old in the car with her. She spoke little English but fortunately my Spanish is still strong enough that we were able to have a short dialogue. When I first gave it to her, she was baffled. She looked at the card, looked at me, looked back down at the card. Then she asked what it's for. I told her she could use it for whatever she wanted...gas, food, whatever she wants. She smiled a huge smile and turned around. A few seconds later, she turned back around. "Do you speak Spanish?", she asked. "Solamente un poquito.", I replied. And so she asked me again, what for? And I said to her "It's a gift, a gift for you".

I went inside to buy my coffee and pay for gas. When I came back, she was still there. Smiling a smile so big I almost didn't know how to receive it. She asked me my name. And even though I'd just gone running and was a pile of sweat and stinkiness, she reached over and pecked my cheek, gave me a hug and said "Gracias" in a the most pure, sincere and grateful way.

I cried.

The second recipient was a police officer dressed in uniform but pumping gas for his personal vehicle. Although we had a much shorter exchange, he was grateful. And I was sure to thank him for his service.

And the last recipient was an old African American woman who I spotted while she crossed the parking lot to prepay her gas. I just thought she looked sweet. So I stuck my hand out the window and asked if I could give her "this". "What is it?" she asked. A gift card. "Take it and have a wonderful day!" And she did. I drove away with her smiling in my rear view mirror.

RAOK #5

2010-10-12T22:00:00.000-05:00

We hit the "Trash Pot"!

I absolutely LOVED this week's RAOK. This past weekend, our family plus one went to the lake to enjoy looking out different windows and spending our downtime some other way. We packed in all sorts of activities...fishing, boating, roasting marshmallows, watching movies, etc.

We also participated in our RAOK #5 and this one was for Mother Nature.

Doc was out fishing so the kids and I found some gloves, gathered some plastic bags and drove the golf cart up to the main road that takes us to our private drive. I gave the kids a few safety instructions (cars, poison ivy, etc.) and off we went on a treasure hunt to see who could find the most litter hanging out roadside. We had a separate bag for the recyclable items so that we could dispose of them separate from the garbage.

The kids absolutely loved this project! They were practically racing one another to see who could find an object first and who could fill their bag the highest. On multiple accounts they told me that "This is FUN!". And Miss Elle was insistent that part of our group cover one side of the road while the others checked the opposite side so as not to miss a single item.

We found lots and lots of beer cans and practically made a game out of seeing how many brand names we could locate. BTW, the kids had never seen a jumbo BUSCH Light can before (that may have been the only surprise)! Dakota was happy to find this Coke can that's been litter so long it's sun faded.

I'm so proud of my lil' clean up crew. All in all we spent $0.00, one hour of our time and filled 5 bags, gathered recyclables and taught the children (with a gentle reminder to myself) about the importance of giving back to Mother Earth and our community.

God & Me Ceremony

2010-10-10T21:41:00.003-05:00

Dakota was recognized this past week for the completion of his God & Me series with pack 10 at Asbury United Methodist Church. Dad was his mentor during this self guided study and I am so grateful for the time the two boys had to bond together in their readings of Christ. Our son is turning into an amazing young man and I couldn't be more proud.

The group of God and me students and their mentors were brought to the alter for a brief prayer and recognition of their achievement. The scouts were awarded a God and Me medal and a dog tag necklace with Mark 19:26 engraved on it. The scripture reads "With God, all things are possible".

The Doctor crew (minus one) was in attendance and we are very grateful for the support they showed Dakota that evening.

And here we are...our fam (minus one) in honor of Dakota and his mentor (Doc) for the successful completion of an amazing program.

RAOK #4

2010-10-06T08:22:00.006-05:00

This week's random act of kindness was somewhat impromptu. I suppose they all are to a certain extent but this one had zero forethought.

I find myself going into the PennWell canteen each morning so I can get my fill of java to help kick start the day. Undoubtedly, the flavor of my choice for that day, no matter which one, is almost always empty. And naturally, I spend time restocking the flavor that I'm drinking so that the next poor soul in need of a caffeine fix will be pleasantly surprised to find that flavor completely restocked.

But today I restocked all of them! Now all my co-workers will be happy (not just the drinkers of my variety). Well...they'll at least be happy until noon when restocking is required again.

RAOK #3

2010-09-28T19:43:00.008-05:00

I'm trying to decide if random acts of kindness are only classified as such if the you give anonymously. I'm thinking yes but then again, some very basic things can be done at random to those you love and it's still considered kindness. I suppose the rules aren't important anyhow.

So today was a good day. First off, I elected to stop by the donut shop after my morning workout and get some donuts for the kids...a suprise breakfast if you will. This doesn't count. But, while I was there I bought donuts for the neighbor kids too. Hopefully that counts for something even though they know they came from me.

And tonight I prepared a gift bag of fall season goodies. I included a candle, some earmuffs, body wash and peppermint lotion. I also added a Happy Fall notecard addressed to my neighbor, any neighbor.

When Elle arrived home from soccer practice, I let her choose a random house of those who would receive today's RAOK. We went down the street, she delivered the bag and rang the door bell and took off! I caught a horrible, dark picture of her running away from the house and unfortunatley, the ones I captured of the homeowner at the door did not turn out. But boy did we have fun with our giving!

Rhino the Dwarf Hamster

2010-09-25T10:01:00.004-05:00

Dakota has been asking (for a while) about getting a new pet. He's mentioned a lizard, a snake, a dog, a fish and various types of rodents. So a few weeks ago we ventured to the pet store to see what we could find. It didn't take long for him to set his sights on a tiny dwarf hamster. He chose the one in the cage that was the most active. He liked how he raced on his wheel. And so, I introduce you to the newest member of our family. RHINO!

Naturally, the kids are having to sleep down the hall and close the door to the room that Rhino sleeps in (or not). It appears he's quite nocturnal AND active. But we like him. And we're gonna keep him. Unless of course we lose him like we did the other day. After 24 hours he finally found crouching down under the couch. Whew...I thought the cat had him for dinner!

RAOK #2

2010-09-25T09:24:00.004-05:00

Yesterday evening was the school carnival at the kid's elementary school. While I was supervising the silent auction tables, a woman talked to me about her son's disappointment for not winning an inflatable toy prize given at this particular carnival game. He was too little to successfully complete the game's task and kept walking away with only a Tootsie Roll.

Dakota had already won 3 inflatable toys. So I asked him if he'd mind giving one up to a little boy who was struggling to win one. He said yes and so we found the mom and her son and Dakota presented the boy with a blown up football on a stick. The kid was SO excited.

This is a photo of the boy playing with it just moments after receiving this RAOK in OK.

RAOK in OK

2010-09-23T20:59:00.004-05:00

So, my friend over at Two Little Miss Fritts had a link to an inspiring blog about random acts of kindness on her Facebook page. The owner of the blog wrote about how she celebrated her 38th birthday doing 38 random acts of kindness all in one day. I was so inspired by the idea that I decided to share it via email with several family members, friends and co-workers. A few folks were impressed and a few others were equally inspired to do more.

Thus begins my journey to make a conscious effort to do some random act of kindness (RAOK), Oklahoma (OK) style at least once a week for an unspecified amount of time. I'm hopeful that the newness of this quest doesn't wear thin. And I'm hopeful that I continue to be inspired by how I feel while and after doing these acts of kindness.

Tonight I paid the bill for the lady in the drive thru line behind me at Braums. I didn't stick around to see her gratitude once she realized that her bill was already taken care of. But when the cashier asked if I knew the woman in my rearview mirror and I replied "No", I was pleased to see her joy at the thoughtfulness of the jesture. And so...here we go!

Oh how I wish I had that.

2010-09-17T09:55:00.005-05:00

I know you're not supposed to covet thy neighbor but dang, these people impress me. Check them out because I'm certain they will inspire you too!

Under the Sycamore
Foster Kade Designs
Kara's Party Ideas
Mila's Day Dreams

Her Soccer Debut

2010-09-14T08:35:00.008-05:00

Elle is officially a soccer player. She has a gift...well comparatively speaking to some other children I've seen. Her team is The Renegades. Her coach knows what he's doing but most importantly, he makes if fun for the girls.

The Renegades lost a little to a lot but rallied during the second half. Elle played well and I'm proud of my little kicker! She is going to have to work on keeping her tongue in her mouth while she runs though.

It Takes Two

2010-08-31T20:56:00.004-05:00

Does anyone remember my entry years ago about teaching Dakota to ride a bike? It appears that he and Elle are on different ends of the spectrum...as if anyone hadn't figured that out already. You see, Dakota can do anything but often chooses not too. He's intelligent and charming, coy and crafty (to get what he wants). He requires a push and then excels beyond belief. For her on the other hand, not everything comes easily. But damn, she has some gusto.

And this, my friends, is why she is riding a bike after only her second time on wheels! I'm so proud of my fighter. She was extremely frustrated on Sunday when I made her get outside and ride. She even kicked the bike a time or two and frankly, I had to stifle a snicker. Today...she asked to go practice. She didn't cry. She overcame.

She too can do anything and I have no doubt that she will. She will have to climb a mountain or two, but her view at the top will be beautiful.

My first 13.1...Done!

2010-04-25T16:02:00.004-05:00

Today is a day that will go down in my record book. I completed my first half marathon! 13.1 miles and all in honor of the OKC Memorial. "April 19, 1995. 9:02am. A bomb was detonated in the street in front of the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building in Oklahoma City, OK, destroying the Federal Building and killing 168 people. Hundreds more had their lives altered forever. The entire nation was changed by this worst act of terrorism by an American toward other Americans." - Thomas A. Hill III

I had three goals for today's race.

Finish
Finish in under 2 and 1/2 hours
Finish without having to walk

And I was successful in achieving all 3. I can honestly say that this is one of my greatest achievements and is certainly my greatest physical achievement outside of birthing my two beautiful children. And I can also honestly say that I never would have thought it would be possible. I realize that people do it all the time. Those people aren't me. I'm a fast twitch muscle girl. Endurance was never my thing. But I did it and I am proud. The body and Faith can go a long way.

I was so grateful to have my husband and children standing near the finish line rooting me on. I blew them kisses as I went by. Their smiles and my own made it entirely worth while.

During the run I was inspired but the spectators, their hospitality, signage, cheering, etc. My favorite was a sign that said "Run This Bitch". I literally laughed out loud and kept on going. I also so a woman with a Nike tattoo and thought to myself "JUST DO IT". And then took on the mantra, "I got this, I can do this".

I also realized that all runners are not fit or fit looking. One woman's running skirt hiked up her backside so much that she was showing her built-in panty and saggy hiney the entire time. There is also a lot of litter the results from the race. My "Save The Earth" sentiments were high.

I've marked 13.1 off my bucket list. I'll consider another at another time. For now, I'm icing my knees.

Thanks to all of you who supported me and cheered me on during my training and during the race. I'm glad to have done it with your love in mind.

My Cat Eats Kleenex

2010-03-26T13:49:00.007-05:00

Granted, Buster is going to be 15 years old in just a few months. However, he ate cat food this morning, promptly threw it up, then went to the Kleenex on my desk to have a few after dinner shreds of paper dessert. I suppose it tempers his tummy? I have a bulimic, binge eating feline on my hands and I'm quite perplexed over it!

Mornings with my son.

2010-01-24T11:19:00.002-06:00

It's pretty rare that I have Dakota all to myself. Elle is spending the night at a friend's house and Doc just left for the gym. Dakota and I snuggled in bed while I watched a movie on my laptop and he watched another on his PSP. We shared time over cereal at the breakfast table and now I'm enjoying the quiet that exists in the home whenever it's only him and me. Serenity with my boy...I love it.

Buster

2010-01-17T17:56:00.003-06:00

I've had Buster for almost 15 years and I realized, not long ago, that I had such few recent pictures of him. I suppose that having children does that to people. They quickly turn the lens on the kids and forget to capture the emotions of their cat. Anyhow, the photo above was taken just today and the one below was taken during the Christmas holiday week. I think he looks so regal and just couldn't not share this with you all! I do love him dearly...even when he walks all over my keyboard, gets in my face while I'm laying down to read. He's my snuggle buddy.

All My Children

2010-01-11T20:51:00.000-06:00

Christmas this year was better than I could have imagined. And even better than the holiday itself was the time we got to share with those we love. My kiddos got to spend some time with my godson, Kai Tindall over the holiday. It's always nice when he can come for a visit and although our time together was shorter than I would have liked, we definitely made the best of it. In this photo Kai is enjoying a sausage biscuit breakfast while Dakota shows him a fart video no doubt...and then there is Elle wearing her Easter ears. Well...at least it's in the spirit of Jesus.

A Year of Healing has launched

2010-01-11T09:30:00.001-06:00

http://12monthsofhealing.blogspot.com/

Inspired by "A Year of Mornings: 3191 Miles Apart", Amanda and Candice have committed to sharing images, on a daily basis, of the things in their lives that bring them happiness.

Merry Christmas & Happy New Year

2009-12-17T21:34:00.000-06:00

Elle's Winter Recital

2009-10-29T21:23:00.003-05:00

Here is Elle in her fall studio recital. It went pretty well despite her shy moments. Her lips are chapped from all the tongue action though! I must admit, I'm impressed with her attentativeness. She definitely wants to get it right. We're so proud of our little dancer.

Workout Playlist Recommendations

2009-10-09T16:53:00.003-05:00

A few weeks ago I asked my Facebook friends to help me get more creative with my exercise playlist by providing three recommendations from their repertoire. I got some good ones so I thought that I would share them with you. Enjoy the sweat!

Angela Godwin
One of my favorites on my running playlist is The Who's "Who Are You". For me, the BPM matches my stride and really gets me going. I also really like "American Girl", Tom Petty. :) If you really want something different, though, try some Japanese techno. Seriously! e.g., Anything from the Dance Dance Revolution soundtrack is great!

Erin Burkholder Leaman
Fergilicious by Fergie, I know you want me by Pitbull, and Philadelphia Freedom by Elton John (i was getting desparate for the 3rd one, but it's a good song)

Cathy Schmitt
Lose yourself by eminem, its awesome..weapon of choice by fatboy slim..and definetly anything by prodigy!!!!

Nicolle Carter Warren
Vertigo by U2. American Woman by The Guess Who. Get UR Freak on by Missy Elliott. :-)

Krystal Williams
It takes two- rob base and dj ez, don't stop the music- rhianna, and I told you so- Keith urban. Pass your playlist on when you're done, sounds like a good one!

Jason Doctor
Some of KJ's favorite workout/ running tunes- It's Raining Men, Karma Chameleon, Ladies Night, Sex You Up, I Got You Babe (he likes to sing Cher's part), Copa Kabana, Wake Me Up Before you Go, Half Breed (really most anything by Cher)
October 1 at 8:31am · Delete

Bill Langenheim
Praise you by Fat Boyslim. The Verve's Bitter Sweet Symphony. Those start slow but build fast. For the best intro in the history of Rock, it's Meat Loaf's Bat Out Of Hell.

KJ Little
True, "If I could turn back time" is a motivator. Never can go wrong with Color Me Badd, N.K.O.T.B., or Milli Vanilli. Really hitting the road hard recently with anything from "Glee".

Jennifer Lindsey
I've got some INXS that I love to use.

Kathleen Cahill Wackowski
"Dancing in the Streets" by Martha and the Vandellas (aging myself) "Shipping up to Boston" by Dropkick Murphys and for something completely different "Christmas Eve Sarajevo" by Trans Siberian Orchestra, great driving rhythms for running and maybe it will inspire you to get your Christmas Shopping done early :~)

Angie Cox McAfee
You gotta have some Top Gun Danger Zone! :) Little Rocky Eye of the Tiger... topped off with Vacation's chariots of fire! Ha!

Mindi Murphy Johnson
The Mama Mia Soundrack is the best at least for walking as the tunes are a mixture of quick and not so quick. Perhaps there might be something of interest for those who can run.

Chris Caughern Fisher
nickelback has some good fast, crazy possessive, hip hop police, all the above,megamix by 2 unlimited,turn it up by autograph , flo rida is fun need more? I have a bundle

Chris Caughern Fisher
throw in bon jovi too

Beth Akins
Pump Up the Volume by MARRS
also...Rhythm Nation by Janet Jackson

Tom Leibrandt
Lit Up- Buck Cherry , Thunder Struck AC/DC, Wild Side- Motley Crue, Unchain my heart- Motley Crue, Eat the rich-Aerosmith

Elle's First Day of Kindergarten

2009-09-11T05:51:00.003-05:00

Her first day of Kindergarten was August 12th and I almost cannot believe that both my children are school aged now. I must say, she was more ready to make this transition in life than most five year old kids that I know. She's quite the social butterfly.

She was fortunate enough to be assigned to Mrs. Grant's class. Mrs. Grant was Dakota's Kindergarten teacher also and we love her. Elle is enjoying school and her new social setting very much. Her only complaint is the cafeteria food so we've been packing a lunch most days.

We couldn't be more proud of our strong little girl.

Avon Walk for Breast Cancer

2009-06-27T06:02:00.001-05:00

Kelly, Jen, Amanda, Jill and I arrived yesterday afternoon at the Keystone Resort in Keystone, CO. It's now 4:45 a.m. And I cannot sleep due to the anticapation for what awaits me. In one hour we will head to the opening ceremony where more than 1500 people will start their walk to fight breast cancer.

I'm excited and worried (mostly about blisters) but I know it will be amazing. And fortunately, I will have a beautiful view of God's creation of this part of our country to occupy my thoughts.

This photo was taken from the back proch of our condo, Key Condo.

Wish me luck!

Avon Walk for Breast Cancer Garage Sale

2009-06-21T08:26:00.001-05:00

Yesterday's fundraising efforts were a success! We raised over $600 that is going to off-set travel expenses and/or is being donated to the cause. We are less than 1 week away from the 39 mile walk in Keystone, CO.

I'm looking forward to this amazing opportunity to spend time with my friends, see the beautiful countryside and donate more than $7,000 in the name of Team J.A.C.K.

A heartfelt thanks to all of our supporters!

Cousins

2009-06-09T17:51:00.002-05:00

Cousins

We just returned from an awesome family vacation to DisneyWorld. But before I get into a recap of that, I wanted to share some memories that were made as we passed through OKC.

As many you know, Mandi and I grew up together. Although she lived in Muskogee and I was in Tulsa, there was rarely a summer that went by when we didn't spend some time visiting one another and sharing many a memory. As we became adolescents, we spent even more time together and over the years we have been fortunate enough to strengthen our friendship as adult women. Before we were born, our moms were similarly close and as far as we know, our grandmothers were loving sisters. And so now we offer the same to a fourth generation. Dakota and Elle spent some quality time with their cousin Hal while Doc and I caught up with Mandi and K.J. We were especially glad to spend the evening with cousin Scott whom we see far less of but thoroughly enjoy each encounter we have with him. Although our visit was short, I'm grateful for the time we had. I hope we're able to continue finding time for our families to be close and I hope that our kids do the same for their children and their cousins.

The Kids

The Boys

And The Girls

Dakota's Tiger Cub Graduation

2009-05-19T20:48:00.001-05:00

Congratulations to Dakota! He graduated from a Tiger Scout to a Wolf Scout just this past weekend. He seems to be enjoying this program so far. We had to try something different since soccer didn't seem to interest him much anymore. He's a little timid of other sports activities so we're taking a break and doing Scouts for now. Hopefully we can add another activity into the mix come fall. He's going to be a 2nd grader in August and I cannot believe it. Time really does fly!

Dakota's TV Appearance

2009-04-29T19:25:00.002-05:00

BAPS District Art Show

2009-04-22T20:27:00.001-05:00

Dakota was one of only several 1st graders from Westwood Elementary to have a copy of work on display at the 2009 Broken Arrow District Art Show. He told us that this was his "Fall Drawing". You might notice that he colored a brown person inside the house and he told us that his dad inside. And he's the "peach" colored person driving the car! He even decorated the lawn with a few harvest gourds.

We're so proud of our little artist!

One Lucky Guy

2009-04-10T20:17:00.000-05:00

We went to Lucia's 6th birthday party at Leapin' Louies. At first, Dakota didn't want to swim without a shirt because he didn't want any girls he knew to see his boobies. I guess he got over it because the demands for the shirt were short lived.

As it turns out, he was the life of the party, being the only boy and all. They chased and dunked him and his only escape was the hottub which the girls thought was too hot.

I think this may have been his favorite party in a while and even though he pretended not to like all the attention, he sure was telling his daddy all about it.

Standing the Test of Time

2009-04-03T21:38:00.001-05:00

It's really nice to have friends who have stood the test of time. On the far left is Kathy Jones, Krystal's mother. Kathy spent a fair amount of time grounding Krystal from spending time with both Camden and me. And yet, here we all are again, spending time together as thirty-something women who are celebrating the pending arrival of baby Reece.

We gathered this evening for good food and some good fun and conversation at El Guapo's restaurant. How great it is to have love like this! Here sister in law joined us as did her friend Amanda. We were all very grateful for a girl's night out and for a reason to celebrate. We're very much looking forward to the arrival of Reece Joseph Williams! Buenos Noches!

Avon Walk for Breast Cancer

2009-03-28T18:37:00.002-05:00

Why? Just a few days ago I went for a haircut and was reminded about why I'm walking in the Avon Walk for Breast Cancer. My hairdresser, Angela, has been diagnosed with breast cancer. She is without health insurance and as if living with the knowledge that she has cancer isn't enough, she's living with the loss of her mother and one sister who lost the fight against breast cancer. Tulsa Project Woman gave her some complimentary testing and now she's receiving treatment with the help of governmental aid. But it's organizations like Avon and this walk that continue to support women who cannot pay. For that, I am grateful.

If you have any interest in supporting this cause and my fundraising efforts, you can visit www.avonwalk.org/goto/candicewalksforacure. And thank you to Jen for inviting me, to Kelly for inviting her and for Amanda and Jill who were brave enough to join in on the fun!

11 Years of Togetherness

2009-03-15T10:39:00.003-05:00

Doc and I recently celebrated our 11 year anniversary. In some ways, it's hard to believe it's been so long and then again, it sort of feels like just the beginning. He says it feels like 52 years...I think he's counting in dog years.

We went back to the same restaurant where we celebrated our 1 year anniversary and spent the evening at the same hotel. We spent the morning taking a nice walk at LaFortune park. It was sort of like we weren't even in our own home town. I'm not really sure what's happened to the Warren Duck Club. That restaurant used to be the place to be but we ended up being at only one of a few occupied tables. Well it was the thought that counts...

So, here's to his parents and mine who have successfully mastered many decades of matrimony!

Easy Bake Memories

2009-02-21T11:23:00.000-06:00

I remember my Easy Bake oven, do you? I felt very grown up baking my very own cake. And now Elle has this memory too.

Everything about the oven is the same except for maybe the addition of extreme safety warnings. Another thing I realized is that 25 years later, it's tough to find a clear, non-soft white, non-energy effecient light bulb. The Easy Bake oven requirements have not caught up with the advancements and concerns over America's carbon foorprint.

The cake still tastes like shit. She only wanted to eat the sprinkles!

You got to know when to hold em'.

2009-02-07T10:22:00.003-06:00

My husband is a gambler. I am not. He is good at it. I am not. He would do a lot more of it but I won't let him. What can I say? I'm tight with my money and he's a dreamer. Usually though, Doc knows he's going to win and sometimes his manifestation comes true.

After having pizza with some friends last night, we stopped by Tulsa's Cherokee Casino. My sweet husband took me to the bar where the band plays because he knew that music is more my thing. And FYI, the smoke in that place was BAD. I felt like I was stuck in an elevator with 12 European chain smoking fanatics. So we listened to the band (and laughed at the guitar player who had a prosthetic penis in his pants...I just know it), and played a little in-bar poker. He put in $20. I was thinking about how much I'd like to have $20. I'd get one of those cheap pedis from the Vietnamese chop shop. And he? He nearly doubled his money and paid for our beer. I like free beer. And I love that he didn't make me witness the loss of that $20. He's a good man.

OK Ice Storms

2009-01-27T08:10:00.000-06:00

I woke up at the crack of dawn to the sound of sleet hitting the windown pane. And oddly enough, I also heard thunder and saw lightening. What kind of place gets icy precip and a thunder storm at the same time?

My Japanese Maple held strong the last time one of these winter storms blowed through these parts and I sure hope she can do it again. I love this tree. I got it for Mother's Day 2006.

Oh well, we were planning to rework this flower garden again this spring anyhow.

Now you see why I am working from home today. The streets faired no better than the rest. I'd really planned on not getting out in this crud today but Jason left his truck downtown after the AC/DC concert last night. I guess the parking garage traffic was unreal. Ah, the joys of owning property. I'd almost rather leave it than drive on this stuff.

1st Tooth

2009-01-24T11:02:00.000-06:00

Dakota was paid a visit by the toothfairy! He is 7 years and 2 months old and it seems much delayed considering all the Kindergarten kids at his school already have gaps in their teeth. Wonder if that means his permanent ones will last longer?

He's quite cute and $5 richer. I told him the toothfairy probably won't be as gracious with the second tooth. There are onl so many firsts.

True or False?

2009-01-18T21:17:00.003-06:00

What's your opinion? Is it true or false that the busiest people are also the most productive people? I'm hoping the answer is true. I'm busier than a worker bee and yet I relish the activity. I live in a constant state of over-doing and yet I don't seem to mind. So long as my body gets plenty of sleep, I'm content to push, and push, and push.

Take this weekend for example. I had a girls night at my parent's lake house on Friday evening. I made it home on Saturday with enough time to fit in a 30 minutes walk, laundry, house cleaning and even watched a bit of DVD'd American Idol before my family walked in the door. We then shared some great family time, more house stuff, book reading, etc. Today was just as action packed but with a HOA meeting tacked onto the evening. I even had my daughter in tow and she had a ball playing with the neighbor's baby and chatting away with the baby's momma.

And even now that the kids are fast asleep, I cannot decide if I should blog, Facebook, work or read my latest novel. Sometimes I wish for greater simplicity in life and sometimes I'm grateful for all the energy. Tonight, I feel alive and well!

So you had a bad day?

2009-01-07T22:39:00.002-06:00

Yes, today was bad, sad, you name it. We had a small round of layoffs today and while I was not on the receiving end of it (this time), I had to deliver the news to a very sweet man who has three kids in college. Where is the beauty in that? None. But it's business and I suppose that I of all people should be used to such decisions. I'm seeking the silver lining and I know there is some. As my Mama used to say, "When we fall out of God's hands, we land in His lap". Thank heavens for that.

Happy New Year 2009!

2008-12-31T16:45:00.002-06:00

The beautiful thing about a blog is that you don't have to spend New Year's Eve documenting all of the things that happened this year. If people really want to know, they can read the blog history. Lucky for me! But I did want to share a pictorial review of 2008 (of things in and around Tulsa) provided by Tulsa World. While most of these happenings don't have anything to do with me, they are about life and that's what I'll be celebrating in 2009!

Happy New Year all.

Granny & Papa Doc's 65th Wedding Anniversary

2008-12-21T11:39:00.003-06:00

Sixty five years is a long time for anything. But for Jason's grandparents, it is representative of the time they've spent together as a married couple. Weekend before last, we drove to Quinton, OK to celebrate this occassion with the family and I caught myself feeling very sentimental about marriage, family and more.

There are five children that are the products of this amazing marriage. Gammy Sandy is one of five children and Jason, Shara and Kara are three of 13 grandchildren. Most all were in attendance to share in this special occasion.

Dakota and Elle are two of 12 great-grandchildren. It brings us so much joy watching the kiddos play with their cousins and the both of them really enjoy their time on the ranch. Cousin Rynda is Elle's favorite of all!

Each of the grandchildren read a paragraph or two from the story of Granny and Grandpa's life together. I was amazed to learn that Granny and Papa Doc met for the first time when there were 11 and 10 years old.

What a proud day this was and I feel very blessed to be a part of this family.

Elle's Winter Dance Recital

2008-12-15T07:21:00.002-06:00

This year's winter recital was ballet and I couldn't have been more excited. We were instructed to wear plain clothes and Miss Kristy added the headband and skirt to each girls' attire. Elle was precious and very happy to have had a cookie party afterwards.

She was concentrating very hard on the task at hand.

Such a beautiful ballerina! To see all the pics, visit her online by clicking here.

Winter 2008 Studio Recital

Junkie

2008-12-12T20:23:00.001-06:00

I have to admit it, I'm a Facebook junkie. I love it. And after weeks of encouraging my huband to join in on the fun, he finally mde the jump. I've really enjoyed catching up with old friends and acquainences and silly as it sounds, I love reading their status updates. Is Facebook addiction a real thing? I'm beginning to think so. See you online!

7 Years, Where does the time go?

2008-11-29T07:39:00.011-06:00

It was seven years ago at this very moment when I gave birth to my handsome little boy. The surprise that we were having a boy was told to us even before we heard his first cry. That's the case when a baby who is frank breach is taken from his mother's womb during surgery. I can remember it pefectly..."It's a boy!" said the doctor. Jason and I immediately started to cry and laugh at the same time. "Is everything alright? I don't hear him crying." I asked. "Everything is fine. We just haven't delivered his head yet." Everything was more than fine, it was perfect.

Dakota is now a first grader and is wise beyond his years.

He loves to read and ride his bike and like most boys his age, he loves some time on the Playstation. We're proud of Dakota and his academic accomplishments and even more so of his gentle disposition. His teacher tells us that he has a natural ability to lead and there are times that we're fortunate enough to witness his peer interaction and see the potential this young man has.

Dakota is growing although I suspect he'll always favor his grandpa Herman and have no trouble maintaining a respectful weight. He's about 45" tall now and weighs about 42.5 pounds. Unlike most first-graders, he hasn't lost a single baby tooth yet!

This past year, Dakota experienced several firsts. He witnessed his first (and second) NBA game watching both the Spurs and the Thunder. He learned to ride his bike. He went to the circus. He learned to tie his shoes. Dakota attended his first outdoor concert, went golfing with his dad and learned to drive the golf cart solo. And the list goes on...

We celebrated with his friends at the Tulsa Air & Space Museum and that was a huge hit. I recommend stopping by sometime.

We're proud of our little man. Happy Birthday son!

Eufala Lake at Sunset

2008-11-26T17:46:00.000-06:00

This was taken at 50MPH on our way to Quinton, OK. The camera phone doesn't do it justice.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Lost, then Found

2008-11-17T08:55:00.000-06:00

Today's good news continues. Jason had lost his wedding ring and last remembered having it during our trip to Austin. After lots of searching and calls to our hotel, we'd given up.

Thankfully, the good people at LaMode Cleaners are diligent about checking pockets and they retrieved our treasure. I just went to pick up the clothes from 6 weeks ago (mostly because I'm cheap and knew that load would cost me) and I was pleasantly surprised to see the ring hanging there! I even woke Doc from his slumber so I could show him. It's nice to know that there are still honest people all around.

Now, if only some honest person would return his lost wallet...

Wow

2008-11-17T06:34:00.000-06:00

I must say, I honestly never thought I'd see the day. I mean, I knew the days of $0.89/gallon were long gone. And yet, I didn't think there was hope for less than $3.00/gallon.

Thank God for giving us the gift of the unknown.

Holiday Thrift

2008-11-03T22:31:00.002-06:00

I have to share the good news that one of my co-workers and friends shared with me. It's an online shopping rebate site that literally earns you cash back for your online purchases. Just sign up for an account by clicking here and then do all your holiday shopping online. You can earn cash back on every transaction plus get information on free shipping and other promotions.

I joined on just a couple weeks ago and now I can't shop online without checking my e-bates site first! I'm so pleased to be earning money back for the purchases I planned to make anyhow. Pass it on!

Halloween Treats, Compliments of Nana

2008-10-31T13:15:00.002-05:00

So, my mom bought all these little Halloween give-a-ways for Dakota and Elle to package up for their friends. Naturally her thoughtfulness lead to a requirement that I do the only thing a good mom would do and make her gifts as thoughtful as could be. And so I ordered some Halloween stamps from my Stampin' Up friend Krystal and came up with some ideas for decorating our treat bags. Elle and I worked on hers one night and then Dakota, Elle and I teamed up to do the 18 we needed for his classmates. We became assembly line experts and the finished product was imperfect but handmade with love.

Livesay Orchard Pumpkin Patch

2008-10-28T16:54:00.006-05:00

I wouldn't say that I love this time of year and mostly that's because I'm a wuss when it's cold. I don't like to shiver and I don't like for my toes to go numb. I do, however, like some of the activities that go along with the season.

This past weekend we made a visit to Livesay Orchards in Porter, Oklahoma. We were in need of some pumpkins and thought it might be fun to tie in a hay ride and other children's activities at the same time. Livesay does a decent job of combining the commercial with the traditional.

We took a tractor ride ($3 fee) out to the orchard where we got to trample the pumpkin vines and choose our loot.

We were promptly returned to the farmer's market where we pay for our pumpkins plus whatever other items our hearts desired at that time. Jason was quick to point out that they would do quite well if they had an on-site cafe and sold food to low blood sugar fathers who are along for the ride.

We ran into some old friends at the orchard and enjoyed watching their little guy save caterpillars in his pocket. And we gave the kids some play time in the hay maze, etc. Even Elle showed off her ropin' abilities and Dakota proved that he knows how to milk a cow's tit ("You have to pull AND squeeze Elle!").

Racine, MO

2008-10-25T10:50:00.000-05:00

I took this picture while standing in front of Racine Christian Church. I was there for a funeral for my great Aunt Jean. It was nice to revisit her home place and I never realized how beautiful it was there. The last time I visited there I was a child and didn't have much appreciation for the landscape. This part of MO was very pleasant.

I also had little knowlwdge of Jean's early years. As it turns out, she was fond of dancing. And as her tribute stated, when we all go on to meet our creator, we should look for her on the dance floor. I know I will.

Oh no, say it isn't so!

2008-10-07T16:30:00.001-05:00

We had to say goodbye to the man plant. It is sad. Guess I didn't give it the TLC it needed. It's legend lives on in spirit I suppose.

Capitol Building

2008-10-03T11:14:00.000-05:00

I love visiting other cities and actually seeing something that doesn't look like all the rest. This shot is of the Texas capitol building taken out the car window. Sweet!

Blast From the Past

2008-09-30T22:10:00.003-05:00

Funny...a friend of mine sent me this link where you can go and pull the top 100 songs from the year you graduated. I'd forgotten about a lot of them and some I didn't even remember. I wish I had the time to look them up on iTunes but I really don't care that much. The ones that I was quick to remember are listed. As my husband often points out, there aren't really any songs (or artists for that matter) from the 1990's that will ever be revered as timeless classics but as long as they make me smile, I don't care if they're not timeless. Wanna know your top 100?

Top 100 Songs of what year?
The rules:
A.) Go to music outfitters
B.) Enter the year you graduated from high school in the search function and get the list of 100 most popular songs of that year

My favorites from 1994:

2. I Swear, All-4-One
3. I'll Make Love To You, Boyz II Men
8. All For Love, Bryan Adams, Rod Stewart and Sting
14. Whatta Man, Salt-N-Pepa
18. Can You Feel The Love Tonight, Elton John
20. Fantastic Voyage, Coolio
21. Baby I Love Your Way, Big Mountain
22. Regulate, Warren G and Nate Dogg
26. When Can I See You, Babyface
34. All I Wanna Do, Sheryl Crow
35. Mmm Mmm Mmm Mmm, Crash Test Dummies
38. I'd Do Anything For Love (But I Won't Do That), Meat Loaf
42. Whoomp! (There It Is), Tag Team
43. Come To My Window, Melissa Etheridge
52. Gin And Juice, Snoop Doggy Dogg
54. Streets Of Philadelphia, Bruce Springsteen
60. Cry For You, Jodeci
65. Tootsee Roll, 69 Boyz
66. I Can See Clearly Now, Jimmy Cliff
74. Groove Thang, Zhane
87. Don't Take The Girl, Tim McGraw
90. Indian Outlaw, Tim McGraw
91. Always, Bon Jovi
92. I'm The Only One, Melissa Etheridge
94. Love Sneakin' Up On You, Bonnie Raitt
95. I'll Take You There, General Public

Proud Parents

2008-09-26T12:29:00.003-05:00

I realize that some of you will think that I utilize this space to boast about my children and I promise that I try to include other interesting topics. But in this case, I just can't stand not saying anything.

Last year we would walk the halls of Dakota's school and I'd see kid's names posted to the wall on trophy laminated cut outs. The trophies are awarded year-round once kids read a certain number of books or reach a certain level or score a certain amount of reading points. Last year I scanned the walls for signs of my son's name until finally I inquired about why he wasn't there. Well, it's only for 1st thru 5th grader recognition. I would have been searching for a long time.

Five weeks into first grade and Dakota was posted to the wall! He must been recognized just yesterday because surely I would have noticed it before now (given my tendency to scan the wall on a daily basis). He is one of only three 1st graders with a trophy and I couldn't be happier!

Remember when...?

2008-09-21T14:30:00.000-05:00

Do you remember the time when we were trying to teach Dakota how to ride a bike and it was a complete emotional disaster for both he and us? It was almost exactly one year ago today. Well, it's finally turned into success.

Dakota's been doing really well but mostly staying on the sidewalk and eventually began making the turn at the end of the sidewalk. He had been less inclined to venture into the street or make a U turn to get going another direction. Instead, he would bail off, turn the bike around and go again. He also has insisted that his dad or me help him get started. Despite our efforts to teach him how to start with the pedal upright and one foot on the curb, he still preferred a jump start.

Dakota's buddy Garrett came to spend the night and he brought his bike along with him. He said he would "teach" Dakota how to ride. Keep in mind that Garrett is 6 months younger than Dakota so I guess he wasn't too keen on having Garrett show him the ropes. Instead, he was off! He's starting himself and riding all over the place...making U turns and all. He's off the sidewalk and owning the rode. I couldn't be more grateful that the tears are gone and husband isn't having to carry him to the bike while he kicks and screams. Thanks Garrett!

He didn't believe us when we told him it would be fun once he learned how to ride. And now we can say "We told you so!". Now that's what I call success.

BA Downtown Play

2008-09-20T10:38:00.001-05:00

Make a Smilebox slideshow

BTW Spirit

2008-09-16T21:54:00.001-05:00

We went to the East Central Cardinals vs. BTW game on Friday night. The Hornets spanked them but the best part of it all was seeing my kids experience a little Hornet spirit. Doc's little sis Kara is a freshman at BTW now and we couldn't be happier to see her going to our old school. She's made the varsity cross country team and of course she's playing soccer for the girl's team. Kara is a solid athlete, strong in academics and cute as a button. We're so very proud of her! And she is sweet enough to allow her niece and nephew hang with her and her friends in the student section. What a treat!

Dakota spent a lot of time on the fence line playing with his helicopter and watching the Hornet mascot run along the sidelines. He even got to spend some time on the field with his dad while Dad worked so hard at manning his post (yappin' with his fellow coaches).

The Hornet was in rare form, dancing and giving all of the kiddos high-five. Elle finally mustered the courage to speak to him. It was nice to be amongst the crowd and my only complaint is that the T Connection Band is just not what it used to be. Go Hornets!

Emily's Visit to T-Town

2008-09-07T21:45:00.001-05:00

Seeing long time friends who have long since moved away is always a wonderful thing to find time for. I'm always amazed at how busy we all are and how much effort seems to be involved in making a simple phone call, sending an email, god forbid we mail a written letter and never mind that we hardly ever have time for a girls luncheon. But we did it when Emily Alice visited her hometown and we're very glad we did.

As you can tell from the photo, my daughter joined us on our outing. And it was sort of funny to me that my four year old asked to go when I told her that I was leaving to meet some of my girlfriends for lunch. "I'm a girl", was her response. She wanted to go bad and I was grateful that Emily and Tonya didn't mind her accompanying us on our date. We went for sushi which wasn't exactly a four year old choice but she eventually ate some of her chicken and oranges. The tofu in the miso soup and the fancy presentation of the main course was a bit overwhelming to say the least.

She brought her Dora the Explorer toy and Tonya was gracious enough to loan her the Power Ranger figurine from her purse. Elle was a champ and I was grateful to have her there. I look forward to sharing many more girly lunches with her in the years to come.

The Pirates 1st Fall 2008 Game

2008-09-06T16:15:00.002-05:00

The Pirates are official! They're wearing real uniforms this year and we even have a real referee. Watching Dakota play soccer is suddenly much more entertaining. His father got to serve as the coach this weekend because the coach was away for a family emergency. I think he did a fine job of filling in and making the kids enjoy their first time on the U7 soccer fields. Gammy Sandy and Auntie Shara even came to watch his Fall 2008 debut. And he scored a goal!

The fields are much larger this year which is great because there are less throw ins as a result of the ball going out of bounds so much. And the size of the field gave the kids more freedom to move around. Dakota took a good tumble on this one but he bounced back up and went after it again.

Coach Doctor doing his thing. The little guy to Dakota's right (left on screen) is one of his friends from school. They're quite good buddies.

One Less Monkey Jumping On the Bed

2008-09-02T21:38:00.003-05:00

Exhibit A

Remember that song you used to sing as a kid? And perhaps you sang it while you jumped on the bed. Well my little monkey was jumping OFF of the bed onto a pile of pillows and blankets and had a bit of a rough landing. Her foot was immediately swollen, bruised and she didn't bare weight on it at all. It was so sad to see her crawling towards me.

So after 48 hours and still no walking on the foot, off we went to the emergency room. Please note that the ER is not a fun or expeditious experience on a holiday weekend. 4.5 hours later the doctor saw us.

The good news is that they say it's just a severe strain and that no bones are showing breakage. The bad news is that they also said that little ones have a lot of cartilage that sometimes makes it difficult for hairline fractures to be seen on an x-ray. So if she's not walking by next week, back we go for another foot photo session.

She's obviously very excited that all she got was an ACE bandage. And after listening to the male patient behind curtain #2 moan, yell "Oh my god", and talk about how his gauze was dripping with blood, she was very pleased that no blood was involved.

6 Random Things

2008-08-28T20:53:00.004-05:00

1.) I have several needs for sleeping. First, I have to have significant bodily contact with husband. If it's really warm under the covers then our feet have to touch. If it's not so hot, I like to spoon or lay flat with his legs draped over me. I don't find it all uncomfortable to have a 200 lb. man's legs weighing me down. I think it gives me a sense of security. Second, I have to have my woobie touching my face or head. And yes, I do still have a woobie. I gave up sucking my thumb long ago but I still love the feel of the crocheted blanket that childhood caregiver, Ms. Miles made for me. And last, I like to have my cat curled up in the crook of my arm (the one opposite the side that husband is on). When I travel for business, I like to sleep in Marriott's Heavenly Bed because they give you six amazingly comfy pillows and I pack them around me to simulate having husband in bed with me. I simply do without the cat and the woobie.

2.) I stack papers. My kitchen never looks like it's really, really, fully clean. I don't like clutter in my kitchen. The only thing on the counters are a few small appliances and some picture frames, one dish towel and the hand soap. The rest is put away...all except the papers. I use the kitchen counter as the destination for opening the mail. I normally sort by junk, catalogs, bills, things to do, follow up on, etc., a pile for invitations to parties, announcements, etc. and then there is my Netflix movie pile. While the junk gets pitched in the trash receptacle, the remainder stays in piles. I sometimes stack them in one or two larger piles so I can dust the mail drop. It's depressing really.

3.) I bite and pull my cuticles. It's such a terrible habit but I can't help myself. And in order to keep from really tearing them, I house fingernail clippers in multiple locations so they're always close by. I have a pair in the bathroom, the kitchen junk drawer, my purse, the desk at my office. If I clip them just as soon as they're slightly detached from the finger, I keep from going completely insane.

4.) I can't concentrate and listen to music at the same time (except while driving). Even as an adolescent, I remember not being able to listen to music while I studied. And even though I have a lot of colleagues who can work at their desk with their iPods in their ears, I cannot handle so much as a jazz tune in the background. Internet radio is not my friend.

5.) I'm not ticklish except for on my forehead. Blow air or softly whisper on my forehead, I go hysterical. My son is ticklish on his forehead too. It must be genetic.

6.) I have a gift wrap, gift bag, tissue paper, greeting card and ribbon fetish. I have an entire closet dedicated to the collection of these items which I intend to use at the appropriate time. I think I got this from my mother. She used to work in a gift shop/floral shop and acquired an incredible skill for wrapping, bow making and floral arranging. Mine never look like hers but I love it anyway.

Read 6 random things from a friend or two.

Childhood Memories

2008-08-24T10:45:00.006-05:00

Quick Sand

We went to the Boomershine's house last night to celebrate Chigger's 1.5 year old birthday (the 1 year party was delayed because they were moving, etc.). The big kids went outside to play in the sand pile and someone had the brilliant idea of getting the water hose and making the sand more

like quick sand. We made the kids strip down on the porch and hosed them off before making a dash for the bath tub.

The kids had a blast and I couldn't help but think how playtime like this turns into lasting childhood memories.

Continental Airlines

2008-08-23T07:48:00.002-05:00

Let me preface this entry by saying that I'm not a person who makes formal complaints. That is to say, I'm not one who does so with any regularity and in fact, it's rare. Even with all my travel, I've only once complained to American Airlines and I did so via email and was pleasently surprised when I received a small credit to my frequent flier account. However, in the past couple of months I've called in two complaints with Continental Airlines. I'm disappointed that I've ruined my reputation and am now an official complainer.

The first complaint was in response to the rudest flight attendant I've ever met in my life. You may remember Barbara from our trip to Mexico.

And my complaint from just yesterday was due to a complete break down in communication and technology both at the George Bush Houston Interncontinental airport and on Continental's website. I missed my flight by minutes.

I was scheduled for a 7:20 p.m. departure from Houston to Tulsa. I should have been home by 8:45 p.m. My boss and I arrived at the airport almost two hours early and after passing through security, we noticed the monitors showed a delayed departure of 8:20 p.m. Okay, no big deal. What's another hour? So we went to the Chili's to grab some food and drink and basically kill time. We checked the monitor with great regularity and at one point, it was delayed until 8:50 p.m. The website, via our BlackBerry, also quoted 8:50 p.m. A few minutes later, the terminal monitor switched back to 8:20 p.m. so at 7:50 p.m., we walked a short distance to our gate.

Oddly enough, the sign above the door at gate B73 read "Seattle 9:10 p.m.". What? We weren't going to Seattle. Did they switch gates on us? We approached the gate agent. "We're here for the 8:20 p.m. departure to Tulsa from gate 73". The gate agent replied "That aircraft has already left". We checked our watches. It was 7:55 p.m. "What do you mean it's departed? It's only 7:55 p.m. and the flight isn't supposed to leave until 8:20 p.m.". She replies, "Yes, it was delayed until 8:50 p.m. but apparently they resolved their issues and so they left. We called passenger names here at the gate and eventually filled the seats with standby passengers". Well that's freaking brilliant. The monitors lie, the website lies, and unless you're within a 30 foot radius of the gate, you can't hear the PA announcement. We told her that the technology lies. She told us never to trust the monitors. We boarded the last flight of the day and ended up arriving in Tulsa a little past 11:00 p.m. Did I mention that we had arrived at the Houston airport almost 2 hours early? And we weren't the only ones. I saw at least five other passengers who experienced the same thing. Who knows how many I didn't know about.

Worst part...I called Continental's 1-800-WE-CARE line yesterday. The punk who took my call listed quietly and didn't ask a single question when I finished my story. He simply said that he would log it and pass it onto the proper authorities. But he wasn't even typing or documenting my feedback the entire time. He didn't apologize for our inconvenience. So I asked him if he should gather some information from me in order to pass along the appropriate information like, the flight number, the airport I was at when their communication failed, my frequent flier number for starters. It wasn't until I prompted him that he got some real info from me and then his keyboard started making noise. I still wonder if he was just surfing the web because he sure didn't act like he gave a care. I guess I should be thankful that he spoke English.

A Game of Tag

2008-08-21T21:31:00.001-05:00

In reading Margo's blog, I inadvertently got tagged. Here goes.

Name: Candice
Maiden name: Ask the bank
Eye Color: Hazel (Isn't that a combo of brown and green?)
Hair Color: Naturally? Dishwater.
Height: 5'5"
How would you describe yourself? First thing that popped in my mind...candid
Either/Or Shy or Outgoing? Seriously?
Spender or Saver? Both. It depends on my mood really.
Truth or Dare? Ah, Dare. The truth hurts.
Books or Movies? Books, I love the Tulsa County Library
Romantic Comedy or Action/Adventure? Romantic Comedy
Cats or Dogs? Both but I'm tired of sweeping up cat litter and letting dogs out to piss so I guess I'd say that I might do without for a while after the good Lord takes them all. (I'm terrible, I know.)
Mountain or Beach? Give me some sand and sweat.
Sweet or Salty? Salty. But that sounds so dirty that I feel like I should say "sweet".
Do you...Get Annoyed Easily? No, laid back like a brother in a pimped up hooptie.
Like to Travel? Absolutely. I want to travel the world with my family and when the kids are grown, I want to travel more of the world with my husband.
Like to drive fast? I did until gas prices were so high and I realized the fuel economy I'd get going 60MHP on the highway.
Sing Well? If I have Cox Cable Karaoke in the background.
Have a Talent? That is confidential.
Watch Scary Movies? Nope.
Shave your legs everyday? Nope
Floss regularly? I do now. Six crowns in your mouth will change your attitude.
Get Motion Sickness? Never
Have you ever...Performed on Stage? Yes, miss the trill.
Been out of the country? Where? Yes, Mexico, Canada, Germany, Caribbean, Costa Rica, Puerto Rico
Had any body hair waxed? Yes
Lied about your age? A long time ago.
Used a fake ID? Yes, and almost got caught at the tag agency.
Got a Speeding ticket? Yep, at 16 years of age for going 10 over. WTF?
What is...The last CD you bought? Hanna Montana
The last movie you saw in the Theater? Space Monkeys
The last Movie you rented? Quinceañera
Your Greatest Fear? Fear itself
Your Greatest Strength? Drive
Your Greatest Weakness? My impatience for ignorant people
Your Happiest Memory? Too difficult to choose.
Your Favorite...Movie: Top Gun or Dirty Dancing or maybe The Chorus Line
TV Show: Gray's Anatomy
Actor: Tom Cruise
Actress: Jodi Foster
Food: Mexican and Sushi
Drink: Cerveza, Tequilla Y Agua
Color: Yellow
Scent: My Husband and WHY: Olfactory pleasure.
Day of the Week and WHY: Friday, the weekend is here!
Favorite Stores: Bookstores, stationary stores and unique gift shops. I also like antique shops although I don't frequent them.
Quote: Blessed are the flexible, for they won't get bent out of shape.
Zodiac: Cancer
War: Make love instead
Ghosts: Don't think so
Reincarnation: Hope so.
Karma: Better believe it.
Luck: I don't like the odds. Luck is for someone else. I just work hard.
Aliens: Doc thinks so.
Tell us one of your most embarrassing moments: Freshman history class, I farted during "silent reading/study time". Unfortunately it was a class full of football players. I still remember the clothes I was wearing and that's not the kind of thing I normally commit to memory.

Tag, You're it.

The RULES
1. Link the person who tagged you...Margo
2. Post these rules.
3. Tag 6 fellow bloggers by linking them (okay, I just picked 3 - my blog community is small)
Erika, Jerusha, Carrie.

1st Day of First Grade

2008-08-14T20:36:00.004-05:00

It's hard to believe that Dakota is now a 1st Grader. I remember when he first started Kindergarten. It seems like just yesterday. This is a new year and now he has Ms. Auer as a teacher and he'll be learning all sorts of new things. Mom and Dad will have all sorts of new challenges. He had homework on the first day and we already witnessed the crying and pouting that goes with not wanting to do homework before playing video games or eating dinner. I'm mean seriously, who needs green beans and pork when you have Lego Star Wars?

The first day was a success and he quickly fell into step. He reconnected with several of his Kindergarten friends although only two of his previous classmates are in his current class.

Elle is SO ready to be a big girl. She made me pack her a lunch box on Dakota's first day of school and included all her breakfast items for daycare. So cute.

Meet the Teacher

2008-08-12T21:01:00.002-05:00

Today was "Meet the Teacher" day at Dakota's school. We were pleased to meet his new 1st grade teacher, Ms. Auer. We will greatly miss his teacher from last year, Miss Smith but we're looking forward to a new experience. Dakota has three girls from last year's class in his first grade class and zero boys from last year in his class. Luckily, one of his buddies is in the connecting room and another is just across the hall. Reminds me of that song..."Make new friends, but keep the old. Some are silver and the others gold". Oh well, hopefully they'll be some cool kids for him to share in his learning experience. Tomorrow is the first day of school so I'm sure there will be more to share in the days ahead.

The Man Plant

2008-08-09T11:56:00.003-05:00

No, this is not an optical illusion. This is the my man plant. I'm sure you can understand why.

A couple of weeks ago, we went to the Boomershine's house for a belated birthday dinner. TG had already given me her gift because she said she didn't want to take the attention away from the gift that her beloved husband Beau had picked out especially for me. Well, it may not have originally been intended for me but TG wouldn't let him buy the Bonzai. Then he told her he would save it for me on my birthday. And so, it became my gift.

How thoughtful is he? I mean, he actually bought it quite some time ago and nurtured it up until the time he could pass it onto me. And I just hope that I don't kill it. Aren't Bonzai plants temperamental? One of the "legs" of the man is beginning to wither. And it was withering when he gave it to me but I could swear that the withering is worse than it was just two weeks ago. Is that possible? Withering = too much water. Okay. But the tag says to keep the soil moist. Okay. But the leg is withering. Crap. At least it's the leg and not the other part. That would be horribly offensive.

Bandit

2008-08-03T21:56:00.002-05:00

We are mourning the loss of our beloved cat, Bandit. I've had him for 14 years. I adopted him and his brother Buster from Animal Aid while I was still attending college at OU. Bandit has had a good life but recently battled feline lymphoma. It was time to say goodbye. He was losing a tremendous amount of weight and he couldn't digest his food. He was in decent spirits most of the time but he was also showing signs of discomfort certain times during the day. I was with him when he went and I'm happy to say that he went out purring. He was so sweet and loving and we'll think of him often and pray that kitty heaven is better than we know.

We'd been talking to the kids about how the cat was sick and that he may have to go be with Jesus soon. Dakota took this picture from his kid friendly digital camera (hence the quality issue) just a couple days ago and he said he did so because he wanted us to have a memory of him. Such a sweet boy.

Ixtapa, Mexico

2008-07-20T15:42:00.001-05:00

It was almost exactly two years ago to the day that we set out on a Mexican vacation with the Littles, the Boomershines and the Brannons. That year we visited Puerto Vallarta and had such a wonderful time that we decided to plan another group vacation this year. Unfortunately, the Boomershines couldn't join us this time but the rest of us went and had a great time in Ixtapa, Mexico.

We stayed at Las Brisas resort where we spent most of our time in one of their many pools or sunning and swimming at their private beach. I've included a few photos but left out several including those that I'm certain aren't suitable for public viewing. Without question, we had a great time and enjoyed the people, the city, the scenery and of course, the cerveza.

We departed on a Thursday morning and while we were checking in at the airport, the Littles called to inform us that their flight was delayed and they would likely miss their Houston connection. This meant rerouting through Mexico City for a Friday arrival. We were disappointed they wouldn't be joining us in route. BUT, after arrival in Houston, we learned that they'd just landed and our pilots held the plane. They raced to the gate and walked to the plane's door only to be greeted by our bitch of a flight attendant, Barbara. We had already figured out that Barbara is at an unhappy place in her life and enjoys taking her anger out on her passengers. Anyhow, Barbara advised the Littles against getting on the plane since their luggage would be going to Mexico City. She told them they may never see their belongings again. Now we'll never know if Barbara did them a favor or if she was just so pissed that the pilots held the plane (after she'd already told me that that wouldn't do such a thing) that she purposely disappointed us all. Either way, I still don't like her and we still didn't see the Littles until Friday.

Checking in. The lobby was on the 18th floor because the hotel is built into the side of a mountain. Consequently, all the rooms have an ocean front room. And after checking in, we had to go down 10 flights to get to our room. Bizarre.

And just after checking in, we changed, the boys fetched cheap beer (hotel beer was $5.50 per 12 oz. can) and we headed for the pool. You'll notice the walkway we are on. To get from your room you'd have to go to another floor and walk a winding path that was surrounded by plush flora and fauna. The distance from the rooms to the pool or beach made the task of schlepping our cervezas more cumbersome but of course it was worth it.

The view from our room.

And then Friday morning the Littles arrived. Again, we headed straight for the pool and KJ brought his beer pong game. They recruited a guest from New Mexico to join in the game and they quickly became the primary source of entertainment at Las Brisas' adult only pool.

This photo was taken on yet another walkway.

And after we realized that the hotel staff didn't appreciate that we brought our own beer to the pool (and made us put it behind the bar so the other guests didn't see it) we departed for the beach. We ended up spending most of our time at the beach from that point on. A couple of really sweet waiters were always available to bring us mas Modelo, Sangria, chips and guoc. We ate and drank very well. Surely the body surfing we were doing was helping to burn off some of the calories, no?

This photo was taken on the lobby level of the hotel. There was a swank lobby bar that was adjacent to this patio which overlooked the ocean. It was quite lovely this day although some days were mostly cloudy.

Our last night we went into Zihuatanejo for dinner. This town is just 15 minutes from Ixtapa and is a bit less touristy than Ixtapa. It's where we were referred to for more authentic dining, shopping and entertainment. We ate dinner street side and enjoyed watching the locals stroll the street, listed to the mariachis and petted the stray cats. It was in Zihuatanejo where we visited a bar that was literally no bigger than a slightly over sized self-storage room. All there was was alcohol, a couple of bar stools and tables, a TV and stereo speakers. The owner was well acquainted with our husbands from a visit earlier in the day so when we arrived, he loaded his American top hits CD in the player and blasted it for our enjoyment. Each song played for no more than one minute before it shuffled onto the next one. I felt like I was watching an infomercial for a five CD collection set where you get just a snip it preview of the songs on file. It was torture. Did I mention that they had black lights?

We rounded out the trip with a pleasant room-service breakfast in the Little's suite. The food was delicious and the morning was relaxing. Thanks to KJ for making this recommendation because it was the perfect ending to a great vacation.

Dad is 60 and we celebrated with a bang!

2008-07-19T22:13:00.012-05:00

Dad is 60! We celebrated in typical fashion in conjunction with a get together at the lake house on 4th of July weekend. This year's festivities were a blast and we enjoyed hosting our friends, the Boomershines. Dad is still adjusting to being 60 and claims that 70 is "just around the corner". I keep reminding him that he could have another 25+ years to go and there is a lot that this man can do with 25 years. Happy Belated Birthday Dad!

Captain Dakota navigated the boat into the cove where we anchored off for the big show.

Elle & Wyatt watching the old fashioned airplanes during the fly over show.

Elle & Dakota thought the fireworks were impressive!

Earlier in the day we played on the dock and T.G. and I soaked up the sun. Chigger seemed to enjoy himself just fine.

Beau taking the kids for a canoe ride.

Calgary Scenery

2008-07-18T12:03:00.000-05:00

I took a road trip to call on a customer yesterday and this was a scene from part of my drive. Beautiful yellow fields.

Airplanes

2008-07-18T12:02:00.001-05:00

Wow, between vacation and business travel, I've spent about 19 interrupted hours in airplanes. I'm amazed at how sticky and gross I feel after so much travel. I was fortunate enough to catch an early flight home from Calgary and happily accepted a middle seat. It is a small sacrifice for spending an additional 6 hours in my home with my family. I simply cannot wait to lounge on the couch and wrestle with the little ones. I think I'm even looking forward to a normal activity like grocery shopping. Home sweet home, almost. US customs still to go.

Life

2008-07-09T08:33:00.002-05:00

Things have really gotten away from me lately and I cannot believe that it's been nearly 20 days since my last post. I'm a slacker.

I hope to have many new things to share with you in just a couple more weeks. We're preparing for vacation, more business travel, more summer camps, etc. Be patient and I promise to be normal very soon.

Elle is 4 Years Old!

2008-06-20T21:48:00.011-05:00

Elle's 4th birthday celebration with her friends from daycare.

The older she gets, the harder it is to choose which pictures to share and it's even more difficult to remember which memories to document. She is such a big, mature, beautiful little girl and I cannot believe how fast she's grown. She's always doing her best to hang with the big kids and she does a pretty good job doing so. She's highly animated, LOUD, and humorous. Elle is a cross between a princess and a tom-boy. She prefers to wear shorts and t-shirts (and sometimes no shirt at all) over dresses but she loves to put on make-up and wear the occasional dress up gown. She is bossy and considerate depending on the circumstance. She is beginning to show her intelligence and unlike her brother who is great at academics but despised practicing his letters, phonics, etc., she is the one to bring me the flash cards and ask to practice them. She weighs about 40 pounds and had her first dentist appointment a couple of weeks ago (no cavities!).

Elle is a gift from God and I hope that you all enjoy sharing in her life.

Wyatt, Elle & Dakota, in the country, eating popsicles after catching fireflies.

She's electric!

Tired from our vacation to San Antonio.

Easter 2008.

Spring Soccer 2008

Christmas 2007, the much adored Barbie Jeep.

Halloween 2007 as Ariel.

Elle's 1st OU football game.

You're Gonna Miss This

2008-06-18T07:08:00.005-05:00

Get this because I can hardly believe it myself. I was at the gym at about 5:30 a.m. this morning and was about 5 minutes into my workout on the treadmill. Like I sometimes do, I was listening to CMT music videos (seems like it's the only time I have to watch TV). Anyhow, so I'm watching the videos and the Trace Adkin's song, You're Gonna Miss This comes on the TV. I've got my headphones on and although I've heard this song many times before, I can honestly say that I've never listened to the words like I did today. And when I did, I became a blubbering idiot walking on the treadmill. I mean, seriously, I was crying. This song struck me so hard and I almost couldn't pull myself together. My only saving grace from absolute embarrassment was that I was also sweating so hopefully the tears were well masked. I had to share it with all of you so you can appreciate the lyrics. I've not heard a song more true than this.

She was staring out the window of their SUV

Complaning, saying "I can't wait to turn 18"

She said "I'll make my own money, and I'll make my own rules"

Mamma put the car in park out there in front of the school

Then she kissed her head and said "I was just like you"

You're gonna miss this

You're gonna want this back

You're gonna wish these days hadn't gone by so fast

These are some good times,

So take a good look around

You may not know it now,

But you're gonna miss this

Before she knows it she's a brand new bride

In a one-bedroom apartment, and her daddy stops by

He tells her "It's a nice place"She says "It'll do for now"

Starts talking about babies and buying a house

Daddy shakes his head and says "Baby, just slow down"

Cause you're gonna miss this

You're gonna want this back

You're gonna wish these days hadn't gone by so fast

These are some good times

So take a good look around

You may not know it now

But you're gonna miss this

Five years later there's a plumber workin' on the water heater

Dog's barkin', phone's ringin'

One kid's cryin', one kid's screamin'

And she keeps apologizin'

He says "They don't bother me.

I've got 2 babies of my own. One's 36, one's 23.

Huh, it's hard to believe, but...

You're gonna miss this

You're gonna want this back

You're gonna wish these days hadn't gone by so fast

These are some good times

So take a good look around

You may not know it now

But you're gonna miss this"

Buy it now on iTunes!

Learning Something New

2008-06-15T22:25:00.001-05:00

So I just got set up for mobile blogging. I figured that with all the time I spend in airports, I might have something interesting to share right then and there! And I'm hoping for an opportunity to share photos captured from my phone. Now you can all share in the people watching I do during my travels.

Isn't technology amazing?

Elle & Garrett's Combo Birthday Party

2008-06-13T22:59:00.002-05:00

Today was a great day. We had a combo birthday party for Elle and another friend, Garrett. It was hosted at Garrett's house so we could utilize the pool and although it was only 70 degrees today, the rain mostly held off and we were able to have some time outside. Elle's birthday isn't for another couple days and I'll do a full update then but wanted to share these photos with anyone intersted.

Elle's 4th Birthday

Elle's Dance Pics

2008-06-04T22:09:00.003-05:00

Miss Kristy's School of Dance recital was last Saturday night and it was a success. Baby girl was terribly cute in her outfit and while I didn't get any shots from that evening worth sharing (lighting was terrible), here are a few that the photographer took in the studio. Amazing...

Memorial Day 2008

2008-05-26T16:29:00.007-05:00

Memorial Day 2008

True to tradition, we were introduced to summer by spending time at the lake for Memorial Day weekend. We spent time with family and friends and enjoyed the great outdoors. The Zahns joined us for dinner on Sunday and Elle thoroughly enjoyed playing with the big girls. It rained Sunday evening and into Monday but the sprinkles did not impede our fun. I spent most of the day on the back porch, curled up with a good book, a cup of coffee and a blanket. It was a fabulous weekend.

Time on the boat w/ Captain Mike.

Time in the canoe with dad.

Time with family (and some adult beverages).

Time to bond.

Time in the hot tub.

Time to fish.

Recital Practice

2008-05-17T11:39:00.002-05:00

We're preparing for recital in a couple of weeks and today was picture day at the studio. I can't wait to see the proofs and in the meantime, I thought I'd share her smiling face from when she did a little twirl.

Oh Lucky Day

2008-05-12T20:58:00.008-05:00

After being on a trip for 8 days, I decided to stay home with the kids on Friday and give them some dedicated attention. We had a lazy morning and then I packed our lunch for a picnic. We went to LaFortune park and spent several hours playing in the sun. I had such a good time with them and managed to capture much of their play on camera. They were such good kids and we literally took time to do most everything.

I have memories of being a child and sitting for extended periods of time gathering four leaf clovers. I'm not really sure of what my facination was but I recall my grandma and grandpa being amazed at my ability to spot one. Even nowadays I find myself stepping over a clover patch and wishing for 30 minutes to pick. During our visit to the park on Friday, I took some time to share this with my children. Amazingly...I found one. I asked Dakota to hold it while I adorned Elle with a weeded tiara and to my dismay, he discarded it! After all my preaching about how special they are and he simply tossed it to the ground so he could play with a stick. Talk about a short attention span! Four leaf clover or not, I was very lucky to have spent that time with my kiddos.

That Little Booger!

2008-05-04T16:44:00.002-05:00

So, I left a few days ago for a business trip and it wasn't until yesterday that I noticed that my dear sweet daughter has been actively applying make up from my cosmetics bag. How do I know? Well, two tubes of lipstick were capped before the lipstick was secured inside the tube. Much to my surprise, I found the caps clogged with lipstick and the stick part is blunt and rugged. It's really humerous in a way...very typical for her. I guess I should be grateful that she capped them when she was finished (even if it destroyed $20 worth of lipstick!).

Dakota's Soccer Injury

2008-04-27T11:19:00.001-05:00

Notice the spot just above his temple. This happened after he was running to save the other team from scoring a goal. There was a lot of cut grass lying in mounds on the field and he tripped over some. His head crashed into the goal post and you could hear the "ping" from across the field. He lay motionless and I took off running. I just knew we were headed to the hospital. Once the coach and I got to him, we found him crying and alert. He ended up okay but it was SO scary. This happened just one week after he took a ball to the face. Poor kid.

The good news is that he saved the ball and kept the team from scoring. Way to go kid!

And here is my social butterfly. She and this little girl played so well together. It helps keep her entertained while the boys play ball. Thank heavens for little girls.

Cool Chica

2008-04-18T22:20:00.001-05:00

I love this picture. She normally takes my glasses and wears them upside down but this time she got it right...even if they're a little lop sided.

Go Pirates!

2008-04-18T18:08:00.004-05:00

Spring 2008 has been an exciting soccer season. The Pirates have only won a couple of games but Dakota is playing so well. This is the first season that he has really shined. He has been hussling, scoring, blocking and having many touches on the ball. We are so proud of how well he's doing and we're beginning to think that soccer may be his thing. I'm am an official fan and proud of my soccer son.

Success

2008-04-09T20:51:00.001-05:00

YES! Dakota has learned how to tie his shoes. I kept telling him that it was important that he learn this skill during Kindergarten (I don't know why but it seemed like the appropriate time). It's my fault that he hadn't known before now because I didn't take the time to teach him. He would just take his shoes on and off but keep the laces tied the entire time. So yesterday morning I made him try. It didn't go well because he got whiny and said "I can't" which I hate. So I got frustrated and he cried. Reminds me a bit like the bike riding exercise.

But last night I made him try again just before sleep. I told him he had to try three times and then he could go to bed. By the second try, he was doing it on his own. And again this morning, success! He doesn't even need my coaching or assistance. I'm so proud that he tried and he's so proud of his accomplishment. It's amazing how a little confidence can make a child feel so strong.

Another Simple and Kind Gesture

2008-04-05T16:43:00.000-05:00

As a follow up to my last entry, I wanted to comment on yet another act of kindness where the reaction surprised me.

Last week I mailed a hand written thank you note to this woman in accounting (Ms. X) who is responsible for processing all of the expense reports in the company. With all the travel I do (and there are some who travel WAY more than I), I felt it was important to tell her how much I appreciate the time she takes to process my reimbursements. I'm very aware of the tediousness of this task and frankly I'm not sure how a person could enjoy such a job. In fact, I'm not sure she does because she maintains a bit of scowl on her face most of the time. Regardless, I do appreciate her. And later that day I received an email from her boss telling me that I'd made Ms. X's day by sending that card and that Ms. X was really in need of a boost. She said it was a thoughtful thing to do. And once again, I was just doing what Momma always told me was the right thing to do. Momma knows best.

You Never Know

2008-04-02T08:53:00.001-05:00

As some of you know, I am actively involved in a local organization called The Margaret Hudson Program which is a school for pregnant and parenting teens. MHP offers a variety of services to our girls and their babies beyond the standard academic services including health care, child care, counseling services, nutrition services and more. Our goal is to make these girls self sustaining, contributing members of our community. We help teen families succeed! The program is very near and dear to my heart.

I recently learned of the pending retirement of a long time nurse of ours. While retirement is often "no bid deal" I found this news to be especially disturbing because I know that this woman offers care to our students well beyond that of a nurse. She's a second mom to some of these girls who are so young and yet becoming mothers themselves. Often times, these girls don't have mothers of their own that are strong role models so nurse Marilyn is a real blessing in their lives.

During one of our facility tours, I took a moment to walk up to Marilyn and let her know how disappointed I am that we are losing her but how happy I am for her and her retirement. I wanted her know that she is valued, appreciated and she will be missed. Our entire dialogue lasted no more than two minutes.

Just yesterday I was at one of our campuses dropping off my friend's maternity clothes as a donation to the girls. While I was in the lobby, Marilyn came up to me with tears in her eyes and told me the difference that I'm making for MHP. And she proceeded to inform me that my words to her during the tour had meant so much to her and that a bit of encouragement can go a long way. Her lip quivered, he eyes ran full and she was truly grateful.

This just goes to show how much a few sincere words can really mean to a person. You just never know the impact that you have on another life even when you are going thru life as usual. It felt good to make her happy. And Marilyn will be sadly missed.

Jason and Candice Over The Years

2008-04-01T09:38:00.000-05:00

We first met in the summer of 1990. I met a girl named Krystal at Clark Theatre summer camp. Krystal invited me to a summer swim party for incoming Booker T. Washington Freshmen. At that time, Jason was dating another girl named Camden (still one of my best friends). By Junior year, Jason and I were an item. We started dating in October of 1992 and were married in March of 1998. We had our first child in November 2001 and our second in June 2004. There have been many experiences and memories along the way and many more are yet to come. In this section you will see a photographic look down memory lane.

2008

2008-03-31T22:24:00.000-05:00

Mamma Sandy's 29th Birthday

2008-03-31T21:28:00.001-05:00

Here's a picture of my mother-in-law on her 29th birthday! We had a nice gathering at the house with Jason's parents, sisters, my parents, grandma and our dear friend T.G. and her kiddos. Oh, and don't let me forget that Kara's friend Lauren and also her BOYFRIEND Gannon were here. Yep, you heard it. That sweet little baby that was born a short 13 years ago (almost 14) is officially dating. It's amazing how quickly I forget the joys of an adolescent crush. I keep asking her if he's a good kisser but she won't tell me. Doesn't a sister-in-law have a right to know?

I feel sorry for Kara's future husband. He will have two men to impress, her Dad and her middle aged brother. At least we hope he'll be middle aged by the time she marries...

Easter 2008

2008-03-24T21:22:00.001-05:00

Easter was a good time. We met up for Easter lunch at my Aunt Lori's house and before we left, I demanded a family photo. It's been at least 7 years since this same group took a picture together. As you can see, we're a small but friendly bunch. If you were to compare this with a family picture of Jason's you'd notice a significant difference in the size of our families. My mother is one of three children and two of them had only one child and Lori had two. So, this photo includes spouses and two great grandmothers and we're still a small group. But our size is no indication of the amount of love we share. I'm very blessed to have these people in my life.

Day 5 of Vacation

2008-03-20T21:25:00.001-05:00

The plane ride home...good times were had by all!