Lordy be I've almost done it again. I try not to go so long between posts but this week I have been a wee bit crazy.
Monday I got the call to come to work. I arranged the day care and I have worked Tuesday, Wednesday and sometime this afternoon.
I'm getting more comfortable in the job but I miss being home with Chelsea and our routine.
On top of everything else it's in the countdown mode for me to get ready for Rob's party tomorrow night. I went out this morning and picked up the cake and some decorations. I think tonight after home church I'll head to the grocery store to pick up last minute things. This way all I have to do tomorrow is clean.
Thankfully with me not being home the house is still somewhat fairly clean from this past weekend. I guess that's one of the benefits of working, well, besides that paycheck.
Gotta get busy, I'll have no photos to post after this weekend. Yippee!
*Carrie*

Has it been a week already?
I'm sorry.
Mentally I'm insanely busy, in reality I'm not that busy.
I've been waiting for a phone call for me to go back to work.
In September I was asked to help out in a family friend's accounting firm while his office manager is on maternity leave. I thought there were like 4 women working in the office and sure I can help out.
In December I go in for a formal/informal type interview and found out that it was just the office manager and the owner. YIKES!
I can do this. We talked about bringing me in for some training. I came in one day and only 4 hours. That was December.
I have waited ever since. The doctors have pushed back her due date, so I waited. The lady is due today and I got a call. The message said could I come in anytime this week.

Here is where I made my first mistake. I called to set up daycare for the rest of the week. I have a meeting with the daycare provider tonight after scouts.
Because my sister in law goes there I was thankfully able to bypass the interview process.
I called the office and talked to the manager. Toward the end of our conversation I double checked to make sure this is for the whole week.
NOPE! it's only for tomorrow, just to give me a refresher course. I'm going to talk to the owner.
That was mistake #2. I should have confirmed with the office before arranging day care. Now I have daycare paid from Tuesday to Thursday. Money I have to pay up front and money I don't necessarily have.
To say I'm freaking out is an understatement. While this might not be very big to anyone else this is hard for me.
#1 I'm putting my baby in daycare, where I know she will do great, but still
#2 The daycare provider tripped me up a bit when she brings up the fact that normally I have to interview for Chelsea to be there, there are papers that have to be notarized and rules and paper work with her in home daycare.
#3 I'm not sure how long I'll be working and I don't want to upset the daycare provider relationship in case I need her again.
#4 I feel I'm being kind of jerked around with this temporary job situation. I said I was flexible but to keep me informed. We had talked about bringing me in for a week to get comfortable and that's what I going to ask tomorrow.
#5 Rob's birthday party is Friday night and I'm trying to get all the details together.
#6 It's cookie time in GS and I have to sign up for booths and all that stuff
#7 the daycare provider is talking about potty training in a couple of weeks. I was going to wait until it is a bit warmer but hey if she wants to do it. fine by me, I guess.
#8 I'm helping a friend with some soccer books and a Disney autograph book, so I'm trying to squeeze that in.
Lots of balls in the air. Seriously not used to being this busy and scared to death that I'm going to fail.
Yep that sums it up.
I guess what it comes down to is time management, and since that isn't such a necessity for me anymore I suck at it.

Pictures- I went out last Friday morning to shoot this saguaro. The previous morning the moon was huge in the sky so I thought it would be like that the next morning. Nope it wasn't. I froze my butt off. It was eerie to hear the coyotes howling once the sun started to come up. Then as I was sitting on the ground shooting the cactus up 3 coyotes crossed in front of me and scared me when they started to walk toward me.
The other photo is of a glass water sprayer at the local nursery with the sun reflecting off it.
*Carrie*

Wednesday of last week the morning dawned like this, liquid gold across our eastern sky.
It amazes me the beauty that is our world, and that no matter how hard I try to capture it I cannot do it justice.
Sometimes I skip the camera and just sit back say, thank you to the heavens and enjoy.
Actually we have had quite a few mornings with beautiful sunrises this week and yet I choose to sit in my warm home and watch out my living room window.

I have purposely stayed away from my blog the last few days because I didn't want to finish what I started about the Tucson shootings.
Wednesday night was the public memorial service, while it wasn't what a lot of people expected, and that's Tucson for you, it brought tears, cheers and comfort for myself and so many others.
All the deceased have been laid to rest privately with their loved ones surrounding them and the congresswoman continues to improve.
And yet the news media is still camped out on our doorstep. There have been TV programs thrown together telling about the congresswoman's marriage and their "love story". There have been reports about how Tucsonan's can heal and move on.
How about you just leave us alone?
I cringe almost every time I hear a national news channel mention the name Tucson.
I will be honest and say I have not watched any of these programs and I might be in the minority when I say I want the media to go away.
I hate having our way of life critiqued and criticized. Are there things that can be learned from these horrible events? Yes, most definitely.
I'm going to move on from this topic. I need to focus on the beauty that is my town.

Which leads me to one of my resolutions this year, I want to photograph things that are synonymous with Tucson. I want to compile all of these photos into a photobook for my family that live here and away.
I started to make my list and now I need to make the time to go out a photograph it.
*Carrie*

As I was typing yesterday's post I was informed by blogger that I was at my capacity of 1G of photos... really?
How could I ever continue to blog without pictures?
Google generously offered me 20G a year at the price of $5 a year. Why not?.
So back for your pleasure are my amazing photos *not*, lol
Saturday evening Rob and I went to a local nursery looking for pots for our orchids. I, of course, wanted to take pictures of whatever flowers were in bloom. The sun was getting lower in the sky which made for some beautiful glow on the flower petals.
It seems blogger is still miffed at me. I just tried to upload a few more photos and it's not even opening up to look on my computer. Bad blogger.

Tonight is the memorial service for Saturday's victims, President Obama is on his way to Tucson to speak at McKale Center at the University of Arizona. People have been lining up since 1am last night because only 14,000 people can fit into McKale and it's first come first served. The rest of us will watch it on the local news tonight.
I sincerely hope that after tonight everything starts to die down, the national media will pack up and go home.
I know the debate will rage on and I hope it can bring some productive talk, not finger pointing and blame.
Congresswoman Giffords is doing very well, she is off the ventilator and is responding to commands. For this I am grateful.
If Giffords recovery is as amazing as its starting out to be and she has the power of thought, organization and speech, as I'm still praying for, I wonder what she will have to say. Will she become an advocate for stronger gun control, will she fight more for people with disabilities? Will she fight for survivor's rights?
I wish I could know her thoughts. I guess I envision a female Jim Brady (from President Reagan's assassination attempt) who with his wife became more of an activist.
I'll update as I learn

*Carrie*

1/11/11

 This has not been a good start to today.

First thing this morning we realized that one of the lenses was missing from Chelsea's glasses. I've searched my purse, the floor and the truck and still cannot find the lens. Now I need to call and find out the cost to replace the lens.

Then I was letting Chelsea draw at the kitchen table and I heard a ripping paper sound. Thinking she was ripping up the paper that she was drawing on, which she sometimes will do, I told her to draw on her paper not rip it up because she wasn't getting more. I heard more ripping and I look up and she is ripping the pages from my bible!!

                     Yep, Genesis chapters 34-46 are pretty much toast.

I'm thinking I might try to tape it back together, it is my favorite bible and one that the language is easy to understand when I read it.

Also yesterday the truck started making that terrible knocking noise again. It subsides when the engine is warm but is VERY loud until then.

This is starting out to be a rough year.

To be honest I'm completely frazzled. I have been somewhat in a funk since Saturday and the tragedy in Tucson.

It's hard to see your town in the national news for something so horrendous and the media coverage of all the grieving people just depresses me. I feel like crawling in a hole

till I feel "safe" again.

Since one day I or my kids will re read this post I guess I shouldn't be so vague about it.

On Saturday while my kids were playing on the computer and I was reading a magazine I received a text from my friend Julie. The text asked if I had heard about Gabrielle Gifford's. I replied that I read it from the link she posted on Facebook and I had just flipped the TV over to the local channel where the ticker read that there had been a shooting.
Of course as the minutes pass by more information comes through. First we hear that the congresswoman was shot in the head, but alive, then briefly we hear that she has passed from her wounds, then word comes in that she is alive but that there are 13 people shot and 6 dead. Most of the day is spent listening to the news and praying for the families. I struggled not to cry.
I heard that they had apprehended the suspect at the scene and all I could think about was how this is going to turn into a media circus.
I'm grieving and thinking about each person who was there. The husband that died sheltering his wife whom was still shot in the leg three times. I thought of the beautiful girl that was Kelly's age and it really upsets me. The federal judge whom my mom knew from her being a paralegal.
I won't even discuss the person who did this. The history books will say enough about him.
Regardless of your political position you don't deserve to be shot for it.

I sincerely need to go to the grocery store but I keep putting it off.
I know that the likelihood of this happening again is extremely rare and me not going isn't about the shooting, it's about the fact that I haven't made a grocery list and I just don't trust myself let loose in a grocery store without a list. :)
Is there anything else I want my family to know???
Right now the political climate is pretty volatile. We live fairly close to the border and the violence has increased along with every ones opinions on how to deal with it. The last election here in Tucson was pretty brutal with both of our incumbents Gabby Gifford's and Raul Grijalva narrowly winning re-election.
Arizona in itself has battled the country with SB1070 and the boycotting of our state, which surely hasn't helped in the recession.
I wonder if people will finally realize what a powder keg southern AZ is.
Not that it releases any idiot from shooting everybody, there is no excuse for that.
*Carrie*

On Monday night I was looking at Kelly, really looking at her when it hit me how much she has grown and changed so far this year.
Yesterday I began, again, working on the kids' school albums when I it hit me yet again how much she has grown and changed the last few years.
One of the items Kelly got for Christmas was a little make-up kit. Oh my. The lip gloss went on a bit crazy and the blusher was on her jawbone instead of her cheekbone but she was happy and we

weren't leaving the house that day anyway.
If I approach her just right she is more receptive to my help then when I just state this is how you do it, whether that is color coordinating clothes, how to apply makeup, trying different ways to do her hair, etc.
Smart, bossy, emotional, that's my girl.
*Carrie*


Top photo- Kelly age 2 1/2, bottom photo Kelly age 8

One, One, One One

How could I pass up this opportunity to remark on today's date, 1/1/11. A new year, new start, new goals.
In order for me to move forward I want to briefly look back at last year.
Briefly meaning that I looked back at last years, new years day blog post and I didn't accomplish any of my goals.
Wow. I thought they were reasonable goals too. Okay I can check off being more creative and trying new things because I did learn a couple of new techniques but I didn't take any classes, never did the photo scavenger hunt, never lost any weight, and didn't even make any cards monthly.
I found it interesting that as I sat here today and thought about what my hopes and dreams for this year are that I had some of the same goals as last year. 

My goals for this are to complete the 2 Peas 12 week photography course, have at least one craft night a month.
I want to listen more, move more and eat less.
I want to continue my creative journey. I would like to create a photo book of some of the quintessential spots that Tucson is known for.
I would also like to make a cute scrappy recipe book.
I just re read last years blog and I could almost re write it word for word. Kind of depressing if you think about it.
This year it's about finishing what I start and not sabotaging myself. I want to have a happy year. I pray that all my family and friends have a great year.
*Carrie*

Happy New Year and come on in 2011!

As of right now I'm afraid of what this year is going to offer.
We awoke this morning to the house being 60 degrees, outside the temps were in the 20's so it could be colder in here.
Anyway something is or might be wrong with our furnace. The thermostat reads 60 degrees in the house and the thermostat is set for 72 but the furnace isn't coming on.
We've replaced the batteries in the thermostat. Now we've replaced the thermostat after learning that the average

age of a thermostat is about 10 years and we've had ours about 13 years.
Still no heat. The furnace cycles but kicks back off before it starts to force air out.
Rob has poked and prodded but nothing has worked so far.
I know he is stressed and cold but there are some things he just cannot fix and this frustrates him.
Rob has been doing some googling and researching causes, fixes and the price for a new furnace.
Now I'm not the type of person who jumps on the "just buy a new one" bandwagon but in this case I would rather just buy a new one.
One of my reasoning's for a new furnace is that we could get one that is more energy efficient. This house used to be a rental and when they replaced the furnace when trying to sell the house they bought the cheapest model.
My other reasoning is that for the past several years I'm always afraid of carbon monoxide poisoning. Yes, we have detectors, which could fail, but it's always a small worry that I have.
Our furnace is around 14-15 years old. To be totally truthful I know nothing about furnaces and this could be still considered a young furnace, I just don't know.
Rob and his googling came up with one little trick to try. Unhook a wire and clean it with a piece of tinfoil and hook it back up.
When I took these pictures he had just hooked back up the wire and the furnace fired back up and has been working since!!
Could it have been something so simple? Please Lord, Yes?!

*Carrie*

 I'll start by saying that, as I hang my head in shame, that I didn't take any pictures of the present that I made my brother and sister in law. Scandalous I know.

Since I feel that every post should have a picture I took these early this morning for your viewing pleasure.
Now my brother and sister in law (sil) are kinda hard to buy for and since my sil expected, sort of, something crafty I couldn't disappoint.
First quick back story...on Tuesday night we went to Winterhaven, on the ride up there my mom asked if we were done shopping. I said yes rather proudly. Then my mom asked if I had gotten anything for M&A.
I literally let out a gasp, I could have sworn I had gotten them a couple of gift cards but I actually had completely forgotten!

So the next day I ran to the store and spent time agonizing over what gift cards to get them.
As I circled around the gift card displays I came up with a creative way to give them their cards that didn't scream, "I don't know what you want so here is a gift card".
I went to my gypsy and designed some images to cut out for the next morning, aka Christmas EVE! and the day we are to exchange presents.
The next morning I began cutting and gluing.
Thank you to Cricut search for images and ease of finding what I was looking for.
Anyway, I had a rough idea to make an 8x8 chipboard book and each page would have a gift card.
The front page was a picture of  a couple sitting at a table for the cricut cart Sweethearts. The other side was two tickets that offered free babysitting either day or overnight. The next page was of a bowl with a fork of pasta and the word pasta all cut from the From my kitchen cart. On the page was a card to Olive Garden, one of their favorite places. The next page was a film strip and some popcorn, this was thanks to Mickey and Friends cart and Carousel cart. One that page was a gift card to fandango. One the last page was some trees with snow on them and writing a merry Christmas note from us.
It was all as simple as it sounds and it took me 3 hours to do. I'm slow I know. I punched the pages with my cropadile since I wasn't getting my Cinch until the next day. Thankfully I went in search of jump rings before I made the holes because I could only find 1 jump ring! No worries it came out cute and was very appreciated. Unless they didn't like it in which case they hide it extremely well :)
There you have it, my crafty gift to my bro and sil.
I promise next years will be much better.

PS- the pictures were inspired by the latest contest that Pioneer Woman was doing with bokeh. I thought I would give it a try.
*Carrie*

Christmas hangover.
What a nice Christmas.
I Had some fun with the creative gift wrapping and really threw Kelly for a loop when she unwrapped and saw a diaper box. Thankfully she was just as excited as I was about getting her caboodle, it was like a right of passage kind of thing. Something to put her treasures in.
The kids all did really well, scratch that, they bounced off the walls all morning

long wanting to open everything. We pacified that by letting the kids watch Despicable Me while we waited for Nina(my mom) to arrive.
The kids scored as usual but nothing crazy, well except Wyatt asked for and received a pogo stick.
We had a lovely afternoon over at his mom's house where Aunt Margaret was visiting from Mississippi and her daughter and son in law came down from Phoenix
 for dinner before taking Aunt Margaret back to Phoenix with them.
The kids sure did fall in love with Aunt Margaret, hell we all adore her, so the whole family was kind of bummed to see her go.
We spent Sunday just relaxing. I mean still in pj's at noon. It was a great day. Yes we did some laundry and some cleaning up but we also watched Julie and Julia, loved it, we watched some football, watched  Shrek forever, really liked it and

read a whole book. The kids played and played. We grazed on leftovers and candy all day. It was just a great day.

As a gift to the grandparents this year I took the plunge and made them photo books.
Now I hear all sorts of stories about the love/hate of getting these type of "all about us" books so I was nervous about doing them.
I used the Shutterfly template and just imported my photos and then added captions. It couldn't have been easier! I adjusted some of the photo placements and wowsers it was done. Shutterfly was having a buy one get each additional half off with free shipping, HELLO! what a gonga!
And the family's reaction... they all really loved it!
I called my dad the day I received my copies and he had already opened his. To hear my father say that it was something he will treasure warmed my heart.
Now I know my mom would like it because she pretty much gets me and my thinking but I wasn't sure how my Mother in law would like it.
It was a HUGE hit!
What a relief. Seriously, knowing that even though I thought it was an easy gift they greatly appreciated what I capture through the year made my heart swell. Especially when I sometimes get that look of "why do you always have a camera?" I caught looks and moments that had the family giggling. The family favorite was a picture of Rob and Chelsea asleep on the couch together one evening. It also was cool to have my mil show her family my lightning picture that made the paper.
I guess I'm hoping my mother in law (mil) is starting to get me.
Poor Rob was giving me a ration of crap because I ordered 3 of these but not one for us and he had yet to see the book so as my mom flipped through hers he was asking to see it next.
anyway Christmas weekend went well, and as of tomorrow Rob is off on vacation the rest of this week!
I'll post tomorrow about the (not so) quick gift and story I made for my brother and sister in law
*Carrie*

Yesterday I finally mailed out my Christmas cards.
I only did a few this year. My plan was to have about 60 done but I had some cuttlebug issues and got generally frustrated so I took the ones i had finished and called it good.

Last night we loaded up in Grandma Ross' van and went to Winterhaven to see the lights.
The festival of lights has been going on for some 40+ years and this year almost didn't happen.
You see with the economic downturn there wasn't any funding for the lights.
Well let me back up a bit.
There is a neighborhood here in Tucson that every year most of the houses decorated for the Holiday season.

Now some do more than others and not everything is Christmas, there are a few Jewish/Hanukkah decorated homes too.
There is this one house that has gone all out with lights, water feature and music. It is one of the big highlights on the walk. I could stand there for hours.
Crud, I'm going off on a tangent.
These homes with the help of Tucson Electric and other companies helps the homeowners with the light bills and setting up the lights.

The community food bank is also there collecting food and money as part of an "entrance fee" if you are inclined to help out.
In the last dozen years or so you now have mule/horse drawn wagons that can take you around. I don't know the cost because we prefer the walk.
Now a few times during the season you can drive your car through but that's not much fun too us.

While some of the homes remind you of National Lampoons Christmas Vacation there are these few gems that if your not looking you could pass by.
Namely, Fragile (frag-eee-lei) and the leg lamp here.
The whole rest of the house was dark except this one window.

Now I've told Rob over the last couple of years that I would love to have a tacky pink flamingo in the yard, Rob of course says no way. It doesn't have to be totally visible, it could peek out from behind the bushes.
It's just one of those crazy things that makes me smile.
Now we saw quite a few of these light up flamingos on our walk and I just had to rib Rob over it. Who knows maybe in the spring I can sneak one into the yard and mess with my man. hehehehe
*Carrie*

 On Tuesday Wyatt received his brag vest. This vest is what he puts all his patches and activity segments on.
Wyatt was later brought up again for belt slides, pins and patches he has received.
If things keep going this way that boys vest is going to be covered in no time at all.

The pack leader, Dennis had a couple of Christmas games for the kids and adults to play.
I will just say that I know quite a bit about Christmas trivia but I was polite and helped others win too.
The webelos did a little puppet show and then the big surprise was that...
Santa showed up!!
Now this is the first time Chelsea has met the big man and oh she was amazing.

 Chelsea was talking to him like he was an old friend, she kept saying Merry Christmas to everyone and telling us to look at Santa. No fear whats so ever.
When Santa asked what she wanted for Christmas I think she just babbled but Santa was fascinated by her.
Wyatt was in line right behind Chelsea and he asked for a remote controlled rocket ship, which I don't even know it there is such a thing.
After their visit with the man in red the    kids received a bag of goodies.

Now as all the kids were waiting in line Kelly wouldn't go up.
I begged, I pleaded. Nope she was having none of it, until she saw that the kids were getting goodie bags, then that girl was in line.
Greedy little snot, huh?
Kelly asked Santa for a laptop and some new clothes.
A laptop, seriously!
Keep dreaming kid!

I was really happy that all the kids cooperated and let me get a group shot and with decent expressions too!

Today is the kids first day of Christmas vacation.
I always have high hopes for a fun, productive time together but I guess I better come down to earth.
Already they are giving me fits and fighting.
*Carrie*

This year we are experiencing some unseasonably warm weather. Like 10-12 degrees warmer than normal. This made for a gorgeous weekend.
Sadly our rug rats all had fever and sniffles but the Grandma's still kept them. One on Friday and one on Saturday, that left us parentals free to roam the town.
Saturday afternoon we went to the 4th Ave. Street Fair. Where hundreds of vendors, musicians and entertainers clog a few city blocks. This photo no
where near shows how crazy the place was. Also this is just one side!
The top photo is actually looking back up to where we are heading. Just crazy.
The street fair brings out everybody, and there are so many beautiful things to see. Believe me, if I had lots of disposable money a few pieces would have come home with me. Since I'm cheap, I thought about ways to replicate a project I saw.
I also love to people watch. There were

street performers and henna artists, tarot card readers, you name it they are there.
After walking the fair we decided to head toward home and go eat out for dinner when Rob received a text that invited us to go to the U of A vs. ASU hockey game. Thankfully we hadn't made it far from downtown when turned back around.
We noticed that the traffic was heavy heading into downtown when I 

remembered that it was second Saturday. Downtown comes alive at night and food vendors line the street while they play a family friendly movie on the side of a building.
Seeing all the fun we parked over by the TCC and headed the 3+ blocks back to the action.
Rob and I enjoyed Mama Joy's Catfish while we watched the Grinch.
We saw Santa being driven around in a Rolls Royce, and cars decorated in

Christmas lights.
After our dinner we walked back through downtown and across the bridge to the TCC where we met up with friends to see ASU whoop our butt 8-2.
I got this one shot of the one goal that we made closest to us. It was just sad.
Normally we trounce ASU but jeez Louise the guys were off that night.
Got up Sunday morning to find that Wyatt and Chelsea now had the fever and cold that kept Kelly home for two days last week. Poor kids were miserable.
Kelly is feeling better and is back to school while Wyatt is home today.
Me, I'm still trying to fight it off. Please, I do NOT want what the kids have.
You know, moms should be immune to whatever their kids have. Makes taking care of them much easier.
Tonight Kelly has a pajama party at girl scouts. Games, food and fun, even I have to wear my pj's. Looking forward to the fun!

*Carrie*

Another wild week is over and boy am I glad. This week looks to be much calmer but I'm sure will turn crazy, such is life.
Wyatt and Kelly had award assembly's last week and both kids made High Honor Roll! Yee Haw!
When I arrived for the assembly Wyatt's teacher approached me to say that Wyatt was playing "monsters" and had tackled a kid, who had no clue what was going on. The kid was fine and as punishment Wyatt had to eat lunch by himself in the office and had to go over the classroom rules about keep other people safe.
Once we got him home Rob and I talked to him about playing nice with other people and being more respectful.

Kelly had an interesting ceremony. Because the kids tend to thin when it comes to the higher grades, meaning that they sometimes switch to public schools or also that they just don't make the honor rolls anymore. Kelly's awards ceremony is from 3rd grade to 8th grade. Lots of cheering, talking, lots of kids.

While the ceremony was going on Chelsea was in her prime. She hung out with the older girls and clapped, danced and entertained them.
The funny part was that the older girls had no idea who Chelsea was but all the girls were super sweet to her.
Kelly had informed me that she has a new friend in her class and her name is Yuritza. Kelly says she is quiet and nice, maybe we will have her new friend come over to play sometime soon.

This weekend was also the kids' last soccer games.
This was both a happy and sad moment. We like going to games but I'm tired of all the obligations.
We started Saturday morning off a little rough. I had told the kids to have their soccer stuff ready so that it wasn't a mad scramble in the morning. Wyatt had an 8:00 game and Rob had to landscape so I was on my own in the morning.

Wouldn't you know it the kids couldn't find at least one item in their gear. Wyatt couldn't find his jersey and Kelly couldn't find her socks.
Then I was having the kids help me carry stuff to the field and Wyatt was to carry our little cooler on his shoulder. Well the boy started messing around and hung from his neck and started to do a run tip toe kind of walk when he biffed it on both of his knees. Tears and blood were flowing.
We got to the soccer field and I put 3 band aids on his knees and sent him out to warm up.
The boy continued to cry for 30 minutes. He was put in the as goalie and he still cried. I tried coaching him, my mom tried coaching him. His coach finally leaned down to him and said that if Wyatt would quit crying he would get him something from McDonald's at the team party.
Wouldn't you know it, the boy stopped crying. He even managed to stop a few goals and laugh when he got a soccer ball to his crotch.
Go figure.

After the game Wyatt's team went to McD's to play and hand out their trophy's. He was as proud as a peacock. His team unfortunately took last place in their age group.
We are taking the winter season off cause it's just too darn cold. We'll start up again in the spring.

Now miss K also had her game later that afternoon. So we drove back to the school and hauled all our gear to watch her team kick some butt.
Kelly's team took first place in their age group.
I tried to get some team shots and I caught this one of Kelly with her hair flying as she ran to get ready to help her teammate out.

Sunday right after church we had to head to Peter Piper Pizza for her teams season end party.
Holy cow, I haven't been to PPP in years and this new location was jaw dropping.

We ordered a pizza and wings and bought $5 in tokens and the kids had a blast.
The pizza was some of the best I've had in a long time and the wings were oh so tender.
I taught the kids how to use their tokens and watch for tickets. I showed them how to use the machine to count their tickets and redeem them at the prize counter.
Chelsea got to run around a little bit and she and daddy got to ride the carousel.
I brought my camera but**cough**Iforgotthememorycard**cough**.
Oh well, I won't say this to Rob but I can't wait to go again, it was fun.

*Carrie*

What is with my kids? On any beautiful day I have to kick them out of the house to play outside. This past weekend my kids looked outside saw a few leaves on the ground, and they willingly went outside. Shortly after they asked for a rack, racked up the leaves and had a blast.
The kids jumped in the pile, then they tossed leaves in the air before they tossed them at each other.
Good ol' fashioned fun.
I just wished there had been more leaves for their pile, like there is now!

I remember making huge piles from the maple trees that we had both at Lincolnshire and then on Lexington.
Piles that you could hide in.
Piles that you could belly flop onto.
Later that morning we were still finding pieces of leaves in odd places and our hair, yeesh. What a mess that was to brush out!

We have put up our Christmas tree, lights and ornaments but we are still decorating the house.
I have finally begun making Christmas cards and my goal is to send them out by the 15th. Yep, I better get crackin'. I'm making them as simple and cute as possible.

It's hard for me to believe that tomorrow is the first of December. Wyatt had his school pictures today, Kelly's pictures are tomorrow. Wyatt has an awards assembly also tomorrow. Christmas parties are being scheduled, State rivalry football game is this weekend, Christmas shopping to be done. I gotta stop it's a bit of an overload.
Dinner is ready, Turkey and broccoli casserole.
*Carrie*

Happy Thanksgiving 2010

Happy Thanksgiving and Black Friday!!

This year I decided to do something a little different.
Now that the kids are older they have begun to get into the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade and it has reminded me about my childhood and watching the Parade.
So for grins and giggles I took pictures of the different floats and balloons. I started out trying to get a reflection picture.
The view was of the kids on the couch watching the parade and the reflection of the TV in the mirror that

hangs over their heads. I couldn't get it to work the way I wanted so I switched to just taking pictures of the TV. Cheesy I know but who knows what balloons will be there and gone in ten years.
I was thinking of doing a quick mini album about the parade and the memories I have from Thanksgivings gone by.
Another little project I have casually worked on is taking a picture of one of our trees for every season of the year.
Looking at the tree the other afternoon I realized that my window for getting a fall tree picture was  rapidly closing.

I took a couple of shots but then I tried for some more artsy shots.
I think this was my favorite of the bunch.
I just love the light in the fall, so golden, so beautiful.


On a crazier note I dared to brave the wilds of Walmart last night to pick up 3 cricut carts that were limited editions and on sale for $20. I was hoping to pick up the green cricut expression but alas it was not in my budget.
Anyway I have never done a WM black Friday and I'm wondering what drugs I was on. I thought I had mentally prepared myself for the store to be busy. When I pulled into the parking lot I about freaked. I don't like crowds.
What the heck was I thinking??!
I walked in and it wasn't so bad, I grabbed a hand basket to put my shopping in and started to look for the cricut pallet. Everything was covered in black plastic and most employees had no idea what I was looking for.
With the help of a few other women we found the pallet and hung out till the plastic was ripped off.
I had hoped to look around and grab a few other things I needed while I waited for midnight but the store had roped off areas and with all the people you couldn't get to anything.
Once the plastic was ripped away the store was mass chaos. I grabbed the 3 carts I wanted, lamented that I couldn't get the green or yellow expression and headed a few feet away to grab some pj's for presents.

The mass of bodies was intense. I carried my basket on my head as I bobbed and weaved through the crowd. Everyone I encountered was very nice and helpful but for the most part you could barely move. If you had a cart, good luck, it just made things even more congested.
As I was looking for a couple of Scooby Doo movies I spoke up to ask if anyone had seen them and a lady said that they were on this one side and handed me the 3 movies offered. At one point I was trying to reach a toy and the line for the registers prevented me from reaching it so I asked someone to hand it to me.
I stood in line for 45 minutes and then I was just crazy enough, because I had heard that they were restocking some things, to put my purchases in the car and go back in to see if there was anything else I wanted/needed. I finally got home at 2am and headed straight to bed where it took me almost another hour to fall asleep.
Would I do this all again? Maybe, doubtful but maybe.

*Carrie*

On Tuesday night was Wyatt's pack meeting.
Rob had found out earlier in the afternoon that Wyatt was going to be getting his Bobcat patch along with other segments for the activities that he has done.
All of these segments will go onto his brag vest once he gets it.
We had tried to turn in some aluminium that night but the station had just closed.
**I'm happy to report that Wyatt had enough aluminium that he has earned his brag vest!!**

During the Bobcat part of the ceremony the parent that helped the Tiger cub was given a ribbon that they pinned onto their parent.
I'll have to get more details from Rob about this but it was similar to girl scouts that the pin is put on upside down until you do a good deed then it is flipped right side up.
The next step was new for both Rob and Wyatt.
As they entered into being a Bobcat each boy was to be branded on their bellies.
The pack leader Dennis had this fake logs glowing and he put his "branding iron" in the fire. Actually it was a long stick with a "B" on it that had been put into a red ink pad. Pretty cool huh?
Anyway Dennis goes on about branding and Wyatt was getting scared. Poor kid really thought he was about to be burned, and then there was Daddy, holding up his shirttail giving his no way to escape.
As Dennis came at him with the branding iron, Rob said Wyatt sucked in his gut as far as he could and backed his body up against him as tight as Wyatt could go.

Once the iron was pulled away Wyatt looked down to see his brand.
You could clearly see the relief and happiness on Wyatt's face when he realized that: 1. it didn't hurt 2. it was just a cool stamp

After Wyatt was branded the other boys were more than eager to lift their shirts and be branded too.

I'm not sure what a Bobcat means as of yet. We are worried that Wyatt is no longer a Tiger cub and we will have to replace part of his uniform already.
I was just getting used to him as a cute little Tiger.

*Carrie*

El Tour de Tucson 2010

I think I am now fully recovered from El Tour.
We got up at 4am so that we could be at the starting line by 6 and the race started at 7am.
It was an amazing sight to see. A few thousand cyclists, so many that it took eight minutes for the entire group to get over the starting line.
Rob and James were staged near the back a couple of blocks from the starting line in the silver group.
Kelly and I hot footed it up past the line to get pictures of the guys off the line. The sea of humanity and the cheering crowd gave this feeling of jubilation.


The weather was chilly that morning and the temps were scheduled to be perfect, in the low 70's. The only problem factor was that there was to be wind but not till later in the afternoon.
Well the wind showed up a bit earlier than planned. Boy did that wind reek havoc on the racers.
Wyatt and my mother in law were stationed at the Kolb and Irvington aid station led by the Boy Scouts. I received a call from my Mil that the first riders came through just before 9am. A short time later Kelly and I began seeing the racers pass through. Man they are fast.
Kelly and I were aid station 13 at mile post 73.7.
It was a great experience watching all these athletes race by or stop for water and fruit.
Our Brownies had the jobs of holding bicycles, getting fruit, cookies, eggs and of course cheering the riders on.
The wind began to become a big factor in the riders progress. With winds whipping around at 30+ miles an hour, you could see the cyclists compensating for it as suddenly they would be leaning at a precarious angle and then when the wind passed would have to

adjust without over correcting. It was a sight to see.
After Rob and James came through, I forgot to take photos except when they were pulling in, Kelly and I worked a bit more before we packed up to head to the finish line.
At 20 miles out Rob called to give me a heads up on time and location. Rob also requested me to pick up a couple of burgers to eat when the race was over.
Knowing that it takes Rob about an hour to ride 20 miles I worried that I would run out of time by getting the burgers and finding a parking spot downtown.

After Wyatt finished with his aid station at 10:30 he went back to Grandmas and waited for my mom to pick them up and bring them downtown.
Thankfully they were already there and waiting for Kelly and myself. I called mom to see where she parked in hopes that I could get close enough because after the race all the kids were going to spend the night at her house.
Anyway, I lucked out and parked right by mom which incidentally was right in front of the spot that Rob and James started from.We walked to where everyone was waiting for us and then we went to find a space on the sidelines where I could take pictures.
My mental clock was ticking and I was anticipating the guys to be coming around the corner at any time.
Anytime came about 1 hour and 20 minutes later.
The wind killed them on the ride on the frontage road to downtown.
Rob would later tell me that he saw several racers pulled off on the side of the road and being picked up. Rob also said that the wind was so brutal that it added an hour to their time because of the constant fight against the winds. The winds just kept pushing them back because it was blowing straight at them. The guys finished at 8 hours 22 minutes in 2,625th place out of 8600 something. This was the second largest El Tour in the races 28 year history.
Sunday the men were sore as expected but feeling pretty darn proud, as well they should. I know I am extremely proud of my hubby.
*Carrie*
PS** Rob calculated that roughly 2000 people did not finish the race.