Testing

I'm gonna try to post some pictures from the new camera in a different format than I normally do. Hope this works. One picture is of my two college roomies who were both due on Dec. 20th and had their boys about a week apart. Maureen and Liam and Sarah and Maks. The other(s) should be self-explanitory.

TIGF

Yikes, I have a lot to be thankful for this week. I'm thankful Josh still has a job and that my store doesn't appear to be closing yet. I'm super thankful that my parents are in good health and that I still have my two of my grandparents. I'm thankful to know that I went to a high school school where friendships are strong 15 years after we left it and teachers meant a lot to their students. And as much as I hate to admit it, I went to a grade school that apparently had an impact on me too...and there are some friendships there that have remained for 20+ years and some that have been rekindled just recently. I'm excited for people who have found new jobs in this awful job market and hopeful for those who have lost them, and I'm excited to know that my friend Cheri's fiance is going to be safe very soon!

Sadness

Today is going to be a sad one for a lot of people in the TG community. This morning I'm going to the funeral of one of my high school math teachers. He was just 59 years old and his daughter was in our grade and if I'm right I think she now teaches at TG too. I wasn't friends with her really in school, we just didn't hang out in the same circles, but she was always nice. I'm not really going for her, but more for me...I actually feel like I need to go to this one because he was one of the two math teachers I ever liked in all my years of school.

I'm also having a bummer week because a lot of my friends are losing their jobs and this economy is starting to scare me. Anyone have any exciting news to share? Happy thoughts??

Random Cuteness

This was a picture I took while practicing with my new camera. Nothing exciting about it, but I just thought it was kinda cute...and she REALLY looks like my sister in this one I think:)

Toga, Toga!

Last night we were invited to help our friend Tommy celebrate his 30th birthday, Roman style. They hosted a Roman Murder Mystery party, and to be honest, I was not looking forward to it...A toga party in January??? But it was pretty fun! I was still confused most of the night and I'm not sure who really done it...well, I know who, but I don't know why...I got lost! But it was kinda funny anyway. Happy Birthday Tommy!

TIGF

This week is an obvious one. I'm thankful for hope, optimism and a stronger United States of America. I'm thankful for no more W. and a brighter tomorrow!

On a side note, I'm thankful for Herbergers sales! GEEZ! Kids Columbia fleece for $9.97-$14.97 and Kids coats for dirt cheep too! Then the electronics and housewares stuff is slashed too. If you're looking to try those bamboo sheets I mentioned they are on clearance for $39.97, reg. something like $110!!! And digital cameras for kids, normally $60 are $9.99!!!

Fun Lunch - Photos Updated!

Ok pitfall number one with the new camera. I don't know how the download thing works yet, so it may be a few days before I figure that out. Pictures will come again soon...Anyway, today I had lunch with some of my good friends and one of the only reasons I'm thankful for my job at MNMO. Lunch was at Jenny's place and Aimee brought brownies! YEAH! So Riley played with Ava and the Nolan's (well, the boys are still a bit young, so really they watch the girls play) and I got some quality time with my ladies! AND they got me another awesome b-day gift! Jenny's dad makes stained glass, so they had him make me a beautiful blue and white-ish star to hang in my window. I LOVE it! I'll post a picture later of that too!! Thanks J&A!!!

UPDATED with photos: Jenny is going to hate me, cuz, I got a candid instead of a nicer posed shot. Sorry, Jenny!!

New Camera!

As, mentioned, I got some great gifts for my birthday. Josh bought me this new camera. It's a Canon, which I've never had before, we've always had Kodak cameras, but it's pretty darn fancy! I'm still figuring out the finer details, but this should mean better pics on the blog! And lots more close-ups! It has a 10x zoom!!! Bird nerd is super excited!!!

Mojave the Camel

As promised, here is the video evidence of Linda and Riley on a camel. The camel's name was Mojave (mo-HA-vee) and it was very well behaved. I think grandma liked the ride more than Riley, but they both came down smiling:) and also as promised, this is the LAST of the Arizona posts! Thanks for putting up with me for a week or so!

Random AZ Pics

These are just some random shots to finish up the AZ posts. I will have just one more AZ post after this and then it's back to normal life.

Happy Inauguration Day!!!

Today is an amazing day in U.S. History and whether you supported Obama in the election campaign, today we begin a new four years of change for our country. In my opinion, hopefully eight years! There is hope in this country for many people for whom there was not hope just a few months back and that alone is an amazing thing. Call me sentimental, but I am getting goosebumps a lot today!

Nice...Um...Donkey

We went to a swap meet in Mesa on Saturday last week and Linda bought this burrow for her cactus garden. It's kinda popular in their development to have some kind of southwestern decor, especially burrows, so Linda found this little guy and he had to come home! Riley loved him...and yes I know it's a him:) He's pretty realistic in that department if you know what I mean. Cory had the unhappy task of carrying the @ss out of the swap meet and got lots of sarcastic remarks along the way! These pictures actually remind me a lot of a certain pink elephant in our family growing up that now lives at my parents house!

Snow and Sick

Ah, I love my January birthday. Ok...you all know that's not true. I feel guilty and unappreciative but that's the truth. Today is my 32nd birthday and I'm super grateful to my parents for creating me and raising me to be a somewhat decent person, but birthdays in January just suck. I don't want sympathy, I'm just stating fact. Today it snowed (which I hate, but it was at least fluffy, light stuff and not icy crap and the temps were above 0 so that was a bit of a plus for this year), but the worst of it was that Katie (my older sis) and Josh were both sick today so our family party became a very different celebration. (Katie, PLEASE don't feel guilty, it's not your fault and I'm not mad I swear!!!) And church today was just my dad and I...very quiet without the kiddos! So for those of you out there who like to tell me I should love my b-day...let me guess, you were born in May? or Maybe August?

Ok, I'm done with my rant. I really am thankful for another year of life and I do think I have a pretty great life to be happy about...but I still hate the month of January! Oh, Josh, Riley and I did have a movie night (Little Mermaid) and I got a QUIET bubble bath too! And I did get some great presents! I'm a lucky girl:) And a very happy one as well despite the month of January;)

Uncle Mike and Auntie Pat

I thought it fitting on my birthday to post about last Saturday. My aunt and uncle live in Tempe, a suburb of Phoenix. Last Saturday was my uncle's birthday and Josh, Riley and I went to dinner at their house to celebrate. It was so nice of them to host us on his b-day...my poor uncle spent his birthday smoking a turkey and cleaning the house for company! We had some great food (and a TON of it!) and of course some chocolate for dessert. When my grandma was still around, whenever Michael came to visit, we had to have chocolate:) Riley had lots of fun and didn't want to leave! Unfortunately, my cousin was supposed to try to join us, but I guess had some issues at work to take care of and couldn't make it. We were hoping to meet his wife and daughter, Riley Jade, since we weren't able to attend their wedding in November. Hopefully next time we're down there we can get the two Rileys together...and I haven't seen Chris since I think Meg's wedding:( Here's some pics of Riley with my aunt and uncle.

P.S. Happy Birthday Megs and Allison!!! Al, enjoy the last of your 20s!

Currency on the Walls

We added our own dollar to the walls here, but they won't tell you where they put it. Every night the maintenance crew staples the new bills on the wall and you have to come back later to see if you can find yours. Yikes, another trip to the mountains! I don't think so! If anyone finds a bill with Molly, josh and riley in the middle of Washington's face, e-mail it to me!

Tortilla Flat - Population 6

Friday we went up to the mountains to a place called Tortilla Flat. If you have ever driven the Road to Hana in Hawaii, it's a lot like that...a long narrow winding stretch up the mountain with a few one lane bridges where you literally have to wait for oncoming traffic to pass before you can cross. If you know me, you know how I "love" the mountains! They are beautiful from the ground up, but I don't like driving up them. And like Hana, when you get to your destination, it's not much to look at.

This is a small mining town with a population of 6 people. But it does have 2 gift shops, a post office and a famous restaurant. The inside walls of the place are covered with dollar bills and other foreign currency (more pics of that later) and the restaurant is a kinda sassy tribute to the Southwest. Riley had "buzzard strips" and they are famous for their HOT chili among other things. None of us tried it, but we did stop and have some Prickly Pear ice cream at the gift shop after lunch. The waitress says the walls are estimated to be worth $90 million! And the bathrooms were worth the trip;) I tried to load pics of the men's room too, but blogger is being goofy. Cory took the pics for me because Josh wouldn't take pics in the men's room! i'll try again with those later.

The place is also a tribute to "an old scallywag" or something like that - A Dutch gold miner who is supposedly responsible for building the restaurant about 100 years ago along with killing anyone who came near him mine.

Despite my fear of mountain driving, this was a fun little stop! On our way back down the mountain we stopped at another mining town called Goldfield...did a little shopping, could have done some panning for gold, but it was close to Riley's bedtime so we didn't stay long.

TIGF

Thanks to Mark and Linda for a great trip to AZ to break up the yucky month of January!!!

Popp in Arizona

Our good friend Matt is in the Air Force stationed at Luke AF Base in Glendale, AZ and he came up to visit us and hang out in the pool one night while we were there. This is what I mean by us crazy, MN people braving the pool in 40+ degree temps. While we were in the pool around 8:00 p.m., potential residents of the 55+ community were getting a tour of the place wearing their winter jackets and mittens! In our defense, the pool is very well heated and there's a hot tub right next to it! Check out that steam!

Phoenix Zoo

On Thursday we went to the zoo in Phoenix. It was a lot better than any MN zoo we have been too...We had planned on going to the Zoo lights, but they close the Zoo at 4 p.m. and you have to re-pay to enter at 6 p.m. for the lights, which we didn't know...and it wasn't cheap, so we just saw about a third of the zoo and then we had to leave...but it was worth it! Riley rode the Merry-go-Round with Linda and even rode a camel...more on that later too!

After the Pool

While we were at the pool, Jess and Cory arrived so we went back to the house. Mark and Linda were having new carpet put in the trailer so we waited outside for a while...it was only a few more minutes before they were finished, but Riley was so tired she couldn't wait to get into the house for her nap.

At the Pool

Day 1: Tourists go to the pool in 65 degree temps. Ok, the pic with her in her sunglasses isn't from day 1, that's from I think day 6-ish...But the temps were in the high 60s the whole time we were there and we still used the pool a few times...even at night when temps drop into the mid 40s. There will be pics of that later.

Riley LOVES to swim. She even told Daddy to let her swim by herself...which she can't do, but she was sure it would be ok if Daddy went to the other side of the pool. Of course we never let go of her, but someday we will have a little fish on our hands!