Let's Go Fly A Kite

We stopped in Wyoming for a few days, to visit with one of Sarahs BFF's

We talked, and shopped, and watched movies, 

checked out the Base Wide Yard Sale.

I gave the girls pedicures.

A very laid back long weekend.

Pizza, my homemade meatloaf

(at Sarah's request), 

and Kelly decided that we must have steak and baked potatoes!!!

Sorry- no pics of the food - too busy eating:-)

 Katelyn and Bethany found kites at the 

yard sale,

and since Wyoming is NEVER

without wind...Sarah headed out

to give it a try.

Sorry - I should have been taking pictures 

of the kite, but I just couldn't 

keep my eyes off of my 

pretty girl!

Ditto

Ditto

Kelly and Ben.

Dillion

Ben

Bethany

Katelyn and Bethany.

Now you tell me...

if I took Dillon and Bethany home with me,

don't you think that I could pass them off as my own?

Just look at that red hair and those green eyes!

Tomorrow - our road trip back.

Oh say can you see...

By the dawns early light...

What so proudly we hailed...

At the twilight's last gleaming?

Whose broad stripes and bright stars...

Through the perilous fight

O'er the ramparts we watched, were so gallantly streaming?

And the rockets red glare, the bombs bursting in air...

Gave proof through the night...

That our flag was still there.

Oh says does that star-spangled banner yet wave...

O'er the land of the free...

And the home of the brave?

I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG,


OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA ,


AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS,


ONE NATION UNDER GOD,

INDIVISIBLE,

WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL!

Today, as we cook out and enjoy our families - please take a moment to stop and remember those who have died in order to ensure our freedom - and for those they left behind, who mourn.

We had two birthdays in our family yesterday.
Seth turned 26.
Here he is with Jessica.

Here is my sweet Katelyn

who turned 3

Wishing you all a wonderful day!

God Bless America!

WooHoo - The Denver Zoo

Lions, and Tigers, and Bears - Oh MY.

Okay - so they aren't in the right order.

Sue Me.

We saw a Polar Bear, a Lion and a Tiger.

Sorry Napoleon - there weren't any Ligers:-)

There were Elephants...

Who make BIG poos...

and Pretty Pink Flamingos, too.

Giraffes eating leaves.

Gorillas and Hippos.

Look at all the dirt on her nose.

Back to the Lion and his Lioness.

And 2 little monkeys - who would have guessed?

Five Pretty Girls...all in a row.

This post is finished - stayed tuned for more.

Now I must swiffer and mop all my floors.

Ta-Ta

Road Trip / Utah - Wyoming - Colorado

WFINALLY

I'm getting around to posting about my recent trips.

I'm not quite posting in order...but that's ok - right?

FYI - I don't know how to transfer the photos from

my iPhone to my computer, but Oscar Jr. can

probably work on this over the weekend:-)

May 18th - Happy Birthday Sarah.

Car packed - check.

Gas - check.

Snacks - check.

Hi Hi Here We Go

The day started out overcast.

Then we hit rain.

Snow Capped Mountains

Stopping in Wyoming for lunch.

Chipmunks came out by the droves.

Seems they like ham, pastrami, and turkey sandwhiches.

Froot Loops, Cheetos, Chips...

But there absolute favorite, was Sun Chips.

Nom Nom Nom.

SunChips are good.

Crunch Crunch Crunch.

Munch Munch Munch.

The little buggers moved so fast, 

it was impossible to get pics of the groups of them.

Back on the road - and some beautiful scenery...and then the sky fell.

Wind, rain, hail.  Slowed us down for a good hour.

There's the giant buffalo, so we're crossing into Colorado.

Checked into our hotel, and then headed to Sariah-Lynn's.

She had a birthday dinner waiting for us.

Spaghetti, Garlic Bread, Salad - YUM!

Presents for the birthday girl.

Hamming it up with Sonnie,

and then Sariah-Lynn and Avery.

We ended the day with birthday cake...

then headed back to the hotel.

It was a looooooooooong day.

Night Night!

April / May/ June

So I've been absent and let this poor blog

sink into oblivion, but I'm going to try very

hard to get back on track.

Here is why I'm been so neglectful:

April

Went to Alabama for a 3 day stay.

Happy Easter.

Stayed 2 weeks.

Came back home.

Unpacked, cleaned and prepared for 

a visit from a son and his family.

They stayed a week.

May

Happy Mother's Day.

Packed.

Headed out west on the 15th.

18th - Road Trip through Utah, Wyoming,

and Colorado.

Denver area - 19th, 20, 21st.

Wyoming - 21st, 22nd, 23rd.

24th - Road Trip through Wyoming 

and Utah.

25th and 26th - Northern Utah

27th, 28th and 29th - Casual Bloggers Conference

in Sandy UT.

30th - June 5th, spent near Provo.

June

Packed.

Flew back home on the 5th

Unpacked, washed clothes, repacked.

Road Trip to Florida on the 9th.

Stopped in north Florida to visit with parents.

10th - Drove to the beach.

10th, 11th, 12th, 13th - Beach.

14th - Went to central Florida.

Stayed until the 18th.

Headed back to north Florida.

Stayed the day with parents.

19th - Road Trip back home.

Happy Father's Day.

Unpacked, washed clothes, cleaned...

then work, work, work on

Libby's Library.

Happy Birthday to Me!

July

HOME FOR THE MONTH

Birthday boy on Saturday.

God Bless America.

Work, work, work on

Libby's Library.

Hopefully catching up

here, and at

A Tail of 2 Doggies.

The End!

I've been TIED up! Pretty Good Lead In...Huh Matt?

Trying to bet back on my feet after a crazy 3 weeks on the go.
And get this...I'm heading out again tomorrow.
Florida this time. So much to do...so little time.
I've got so much that I want to post about, but
just can't seem to find the energy.  But here's a start.

I had a wonderful time Visiting with Family, Attending the Casual Blogger Conference,
Temple hopping, Road Tripping, and SO MUCH MORE. I've met some fantastic new friends,
learned a lot, and have something really exciting that I'm working on - I'll tell you all about that
in just a minute, but first I want to do a shout out to a guy Blogger.  HI MATT!

This is Matt

Matt is a tie junkie. He loves the things.  He blogs about them, and I told him that I'd send you all over to his place.  Why now?  Because it's getting close to Fathers Day, an don't all dads get ties for Fathers Day? Click HERE to go to Tiepeida. You can check out his ties (maybe buy one or two - and no, I'm not getting any commission), access his personal blog, and also learn everything you could possibly want to know about ties!

Next - The something exciting...well exciting to me anyway.  A lot of you know that I have quite a few medical issues.  Fibromyalgia, Reynauds Disease, a Bundle Branch Block, Hypothyroidism, RLS and Hyperinsomnia, just to name a few. I also suffer from anxiety and confusion...especially when in public places with lots of people, noise, and movement.  I get panicky and dizzy and have the greatest desire to spew my cookies (if you get my drift). Well maybe desire isn't the correct word - I get overwhelmingly nauseous - yep, that's more like it.   Some of the feelings of anxiety and dread come from stress, but the dizziness and nausea are caused by movement and changes in lighting, flooring , and colors in my periphery vision.  Roll them all up together and you get a time bomb.

So that's not really the exciting part, but what is exciting, is whatI learned from a lovely lady and her furbabby. Hi Leanne, Hi Sally.  Get this -  I can help relieve a great deal of my stress and anxiety with a PSD= Psychiatric Service Dog. Yep - according to the Americans With Disabilities Act, I can have a PSD with me at all times. Hotels, restaurants, airplanes...you name it and I can take a PSD there!

There is a lot of work involved.  I have to:

1.  Find a psychiatrist who believes in the benefits of a PSD...and pay the
bills to see him/her on an on going basis, so that I can get a letter of approval
stating that it is deemed medically necessary to have a PSD.

2.  Find a dog that fits my needs (Yes - I love my furbabies, but they are older, and like
the saying goes "You can't teach an old dog new tricks!" Hint, Hint...this is where things start to get
really exciting.

3.  Find a reasonably priced, and nearby training group...I want a properly
trained dog, who not only can be a constant companion with good manners, but who can do small tasks for me, when I'm having really rough days.  ie: Pick up small items that I've dropped.

Ok - drum roll please...I've applied to be a Puppy Raiser for Southeastern Guide Dogs.

If approved (after a home study), then I get put on the waiting list.  When a dog is ready for
me, and they have transport...they will bring me a puppy that I will raise for 14 - 20 months.  During
this time the dog will go everywhere with me.  Church, grocery shopping, doctor appointments, traveling to visit family and friends.  I take care of the food and toys, and Southeastern Guide Dogs
pays for veterinary care.  We go to training classes twice a month. 

This way, I don't have to choose a dog (which would be soooooooo hard for me to do), one is choosen for me. I don't have to commit to more veterinary bills.  I can learn to train my own PSD later down the road, I get a dog to help me with my anxiety and I know that I will be doing something to help someone else. I'm bursting at the thought.  I know that it will be hard to "let go" when the time comes for my special companion to go back to the training center, but I can do it, I know I can!

So what do you all think.  I'd really like to hear from you.
More later:-)