30 June 2009

Gift Dilemma

I am having a bit of a dilemma. Little Man is turning 3 on Saturday. And I have no idea what to get him for his birthday. He is certainly not like Sweet Girl and wants everything under the sun. He wants whatever you suggest.

He really doesn't NEED anything, neither one of them do. They have an assload of toys that really don't all get played with. He has enough clothes for the summer. I am at a total loss. So tonight my mom and I are going to go wander around Toys r' Us in search of a gift I hope jumps out at me.

Ironically I already know a couple CHRISTMAS gifts he'll be getting. Yes I'm prepared 6 months in advance. One of them is a bike. And while yes I could get him that NOW, that would mean he would want to ride it NOW. And do you know how hot it is here in the summer? It's hot. Too hot to be outside in the full sun trying to teach your kid to ride his bike. And Lord help us if he ever left the bike IN THE SUN and then tried to get on it, he would be burned and I would be turned into DCS. So Bike = Christmas. Cooler and more enjoyable weather to be outside and not in a pool.

So wish me luck. Send me good 3 year old boy toy ideas.

29 June 2009

Sheer Exhaustion

No post since Friday the 19th, I know. It's caused concern, I received an email from Angela at VivaCookvegas inquiring about my status since it is so unlike me. I am fine, well except for suffering from exhaustion.

Exhaustion induced by a trip back to TN for work. For the past 7 days I have done nothing but go go go. Running on less nightly sleep than I am used to, recovering from being sick and feeling a slight relapse while I was in TN.
During my work week, I think I only spent a total of 2 hours at my desk for the ENTIRE week. I got lost in the headquarters building a few times, wandering around trying to find my way.

I arrived back in Arizona safely on Friday afternoon, only to work that evening from 8 PM to 4 AM so I was up 24 hours. I got 3 hours of sleep in my own comfy bed to get up and go again. Meeting Leo at a nice resort in Scottsdale for a day of fun and an evening of yummy food and drinks. It was nice yes, but I missed my home, my bed and the kids.

I don't even know where to begin, what to share with you. Hell I haven't even had a chance to organize my own thoughts.
I'll be back later. I need to go find myself.

19 June 2009

Feeling Better Friday

I'm glad it's Friday. I haven't felt good for most of this week but I am feeling better today, and I'm sure the fact that it's Friday has a lot to do with it!

So let's do some Fill-Ins. You should join and play along too!!

1. All children alarm their parents, if only because you are forever expecting them to outlive you.

2. Show me a good loser and I will show you a someone who truly understands the ups and downs of a competitive sport/game.

3. I cannot imagine what is like eating an entire box of chocolate liqueurs at one time.

4. Too bad that all the people who know how to run the country are busy being held down and not given the the proper media attention.

5. I have yet to hear a man ask for advice on how to combine asking for directions and actually following them.

6. It is impossible to think of any good meal, no matter how plain or elegant, pepper or garlic in it.

7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to just hanging out with the fam, tomorrow my plans include hanging by the pool with some friends and a few beers and Sunday, I want to celebrate my favorite man on Father's Day!

17 June 2009

82 Years Old, It Had To Be Haunted.

I left a comment over on San Diego Momma about one of our previous houses being haunted. She even emailed me about it, and after I explained the story she suggested I write about it here. So I thought, that's a damn good idea since I've neglected the blog this week. Maybe you don't believe in ghosts or all that, and if you don't well then this may not be that interesting to you.
I do believe in ghosts. I am intrigued by them and love shows like A Haunting, Ghost Hunters or anything else paranormal.
I don't consider myself a medium by any stretch, I don't "see" or "feel" things about a place. That dream was dashed at Graceland when I didn't "feel" Elvis and I thought of all people he would be the one...But THAT is another post all together.

We lived in a historic home in a historic area of downtown Nashville. Our house was 82 years old when we bought it. It had been renovated and updated (the key to unlocking any spirits if you're not into watching shows...)and was totally awesome. It was great. We were in walking distance of bars, restaurants, and the doggie day care. It was a really neat area and was going through "urban revitalization"
After a while of moving in, Leo and I (kid free at this time in our life) always felt like we were being watched. We would catch shadows out of the corner of our eye. I was convinced we were not alone in the house. I never felt threatened by any of this. Further proof, the dogs would stare up at nothing and wag their tale like someone was talking to them.

I was convinced it was the lady that used to live in the house. She loved the house very much. She lived there for a long time, over 40 years I believe.

Her name was Josephine.

One day I was talking to the best neighbor, Mr. Harry. I'll write another post about him sometime because he was really a unique man and was a wonderful neighbor. In the middle of the conversation he says to me "Well you're not sleeping up stairs are you?" A million thoughts went through my head, the prominent being Oh No, she died in the house. I ask "No, why?". My fears were unfounded as he said "Oh, well there didn't used to be air conditioning up there as it was the attic". After some inquiries with the guy who renovated the place, and trying to get out of him whether or not she died in the house. The answer was No, she had died in the assisted living home she had to go to after leaving the house she loved.

It would make sense that she would come to the place she loved. She wasn't good with timing, I'll tell you that. I didn't mind she was there by any means, however, she could have picked a better time to let me know she was in fact really there. I remember the night well. I had awoken from a dream, I remember the dream even. I was dreaming about my home in Detroit and a street by my house there. I remember waking and thinking how weird that was that I had that dream. I situated pillows in an attempt to head back off to sleep. This is when Josephine came right to my face and screamed "HELLO!". I screamed back and woke up Leo (who also screamed); I tried to explain this but he was freaked out and went back to sleep. I had to have the TV on for a couple hours before I could go back to sleep.

The next afternoon, I went back to my room and had a talk with Josephine, I told her that I loved her house and wanted to be there and that she was welcome to stay but wasn't allowed to wake me up or yell at me in the middle of the night. She never did it again. I could tell she was still there and I would have random conversations with her when I felt she was around.

Before Sweet Girl was born I had yet another conversation with her and asked her to keep watch over our new baby. When Sweet Girl was old enough to hold her head up and smile she would often look over my shoulder when she was being held and smile like someone was behind me making faces at her.

Leaves on plants would move and doors would slowly close to indicate she was moving through the house. We moved before Sweet Girl was a year old. We headed for the burbs. Hearing a live band out the back door and having drunks walk down the street just wasn't where we were at in our lives anymore. I am assuming she is still there. Ironically friends of ours knew the people that were bought our house. I asked them once if they noticed anything and they hadn't.

So maybe Jospehine is just quietly sitting back taking it all in...getting her timing right for the initial Hello...

12 June 2009

Finally It's Friday!

I am happy it's Friday!

1. I grew up thinking I would work in an big office and would wear a suit to work every day.

2. Gmail.com was the last website I was at before coming here.

3. Why don't you go bother someone else?

4. A nice easy read helps me relax.

5. Thanks for the memories, even though they weren't that good.

6. Thinking you're better than everyone else is very off-putting.

7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to relaxing and enjoying it's a Friday, tomorrow my plans include some range time and the baseball game and Sunday, I want to relax some more and probably eat some BBQ along with some good Blues!

09 June 2009

Luring The Birds

While I am not a huge bird fan, especially ones with red beady eyes, I do like the Hummingbirds. They are cool little suckers. So to lure them to our backyard we have put up two Hummingbird feeders filled with their favorite addiction: sugar water. And boy are we drawing them! There are a lot of regulars that we have named.

So far we have the following named regulars:
Bobby Flay
Guy Fieri
Hovercraft
Smalls
Ruby (aka Osgood)
Goose

There are a couple more but right now their names escape me. There was a time when they were some perverted names added to the list but those were renamed to more normal and appropriate names that the children could also use. I didn't really need them going to school telling people their parents named a Hummingbird XXXXsucker....That would not be good. Not good at all. Funny? Yes, but not good.

We also have had some in air bird fights, boy those birds are not happy when someone else tries to share their wealth. Obviously they are not a progressive type bird.

I really enjoy watching them. They are pretty fascinating. I have taken a few pictures with the ultra zoom lens so they are not intimidated with me being right there. I can still sit back a ways and get some cool shots. Maybe I will actually do a Wordless Wednesday tomorrow and share one with you!

05 June 2009

Friday

Today it's cloudy and when it's cloudy I open all the blinds so I can view the beautiful dark clouds that in any other place would signal rain. They are pretty today. I do enjoy blue skies as well, but I see that all the time and I can't really open the blinds on those days because then my bedroom would become an internal oven due to the scorching sun.

So as I enjoy the clouds, I hope you enjoy the fill-ins. Visit here for some more or to play along too!

1. And this little pig cried we we we all the way home.

2. My favorite thing for dinner lately has been anything that is NOT good for me!

3. I am not a fan of a dog that just goes bark! bark! bark! in the middle of the night.

4. A nice long walk is one of my favorite things, especially on the beach or somewhere fun to explore.

5. I like to get presents along with some good news.

6. When all is said and done, I hope to have lived a life with few regrets.

7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to heading to Flag, tomorrow my plans include a yummy breakfast and the Grand Canyon and Sunday, I want to not really sure yet what I'm doing to do!

03 June 2009

Wednesday

I had a great post for you today. I mean it was totally awesome. But you won't get that today. I was writing it last night...at midnight....IN.MY.HEAD. Yes I concocted a great post for you but alas today I have forgotten most of it. I know the gist I was going for but if I tried to recreate it today, it just wouldn't be the same and would pale in comparision to the post in my head. So this will probably be a mismash of random thoughts thrown together because I haven't had a post since Friday and it's now Wednesday and I am sadly behind.

We saw Glenn Beck last night. He was live in Phoenix. A good show for sure. And his message is good whatever side of the fence you are on in the political arena. Everyone has to realize we're heading down a road far from where we started. Change is fine and usually good, UNLESS you're trying to change the fundamental principles of our country. Then sadly that kind of change is NOT good.

I can't believe in one month Little Man is going to be 3! 3, OMG he's getting bigger. He went to the doctor yesterday because he is snoring like a grown man. It sort of freaks me out and sure enough his breathing pathway is very restricted. So off to the ENT we go. His tonsils are not "over sized" but they are on the larger side of normal for his age. Poor kid.

We're heading to Flagstaff this weekend and to go to the Grand Canyon. I love the Grand Canyon. It will be nice to go again and gaze at the wonder of the Canyon.

Well enough rambling for me. I also did win some awards, I will use those for tomorrows post!