American dreaming...

I was sitting outside last night as the sun was setting, and relishing in the glory of the beautiful weather and peace and quiet of living in a growing suburban town. Funny, I thought. I HATED growing up in Queen Creek. There was NOTHING nearby... grocery shopping took us 20+ miles into town. There was nothing to do as a kid.
Now I totally understand why my parents were ok with living out there. Granted, the town is not the same as it was 21 years ago when I moved there (holy crap that's a long time!), but I GET it now. Maybe it's me being an adult, and appreciating things like solitude and stars and clean(er) air.
I always wanted to live in suburbia... have my dream job, my house, my 2.5 kids and all that jazz. In my thoughts lately, I've realized that I am living a modified version of my own American dream. I have a cute house in a growing suburbia and my 3 kids. Not the same kids I had in mind, granted, but I'm happy none the less :) Now add to the mix that I"m finally getting to follow the career path I laid out for myself 15 years ago... yes, I am almost living my American dream. :)

Welcome to the newest member of the family!

Miles William Colon was born yesterday, 3/28/08 to my cousin Pam's daughter, Jennifer and her husband Mike. They have a 3 year old daughter Jillian already. Miles was born weighing in at a whopping 9lbs. 10 oz. and measuring 21 1/2 inches. Big guy! He's as adorable as could be, and I can't wait to see more pictures of the newest baby in the family! Jennifer's brother Jerrie, and his wife Janel are ALSO expecting a son this summer... so exciting to see all the new babies!! :)

the demise of a dog, part two

Well, as luck would have it, since she came into season, they're all in crates now when I leave, thus NO PEEING ON MY CARPET!!! I wonder whether it had anything to do with that "special time".... I guess she will only know :P I have to clean my carpet now tho... this situation forced me to go out and buy a Bissell steam cleaner... I'll let you all know my reviews of it once I've used it :)

icky girls

Ah yes... Day 1 is upon us... already. *sigh* She's been every 5 months or so, but this time it was only 4 months!!! little hussy brat! :) So let the count down begin! :)

our next endeavor!

The Lost Dutchman shows are the closest shows to home for me but I'm scheduled to work that weekend. I'm hoping to figure out the logistics cuz I just entered anyway ;-) I even entered Kota in Rally!!!! Hopefully We'll see a well behaved Kota in the Rally ring on the 11th of April :) I figured after having left him at home for the last shows, he would LOVE to have a special day with mom out at a dog show... without the brother or sister! :) Wish us luck!! :)

The demise of a dog....

a certain dog (who shall remain nameless to protect.... oh wait, there's no innocence involved ;-) ) keeps PEEING on my floor... my CARPET! I keep cleaning it, nameless dog keeps peeing.

Ok, so you all probably can GUESS who my mystery pee'r is.... what can I DO to stop her from peeing?????? I'm not there when she does it, but evidenced by her spiteful peeing when Kim left my house tonight, i know she's conscious of it! She had pee'd outside for Kim and came back in and pee'd again right in that same area.... RIGHT in front of Kim.

I've laid things down OVER the areas, and she's pee'd next to them... the only thing i haven't done is put up an x-pen to section off that area, but I'm afraid if i do, that she'll pee somewhere else. I know this is NOT a case of her not being able to hold it... she's being spiteful. I'm about ready to lock her in a crate, which i really don't want to have to do....

Any suggestions before i lock her up and throw away the key?? ;-)

I saw it again!!!!

I got to see the Space Station and Shuttle again tonight!! I swear i was like a kid out there jumping around saying "there it is! there it is!!" It just amazes me that I could see the SPACE STATION and SHUTTLE with my own eyes in real life!!!! it's not every day that someone can say that :) Just too cool :)

Is it Spring?

Seeing Tom's photos of the beautiful flowers reminded me that I took pictures of the pretty wildflowers that are blooming along state highway 87 (my back route to I-10 through Coolidge).

Not as lush or pretty, but for desert wildflowers, they were eye catching on the side of the road :)





And I wasn't the only weirdo pulling off the road to take pictures of the flowers :) There was an older gentleman in a CR-V who was pulled over with his camera too! :) I love spring... too bad it's not a season we see much of here in the desert.

I just saw the space station and shuttle!!!!

a guy here at work sent me an email saying that from 7:44 to 7:48 we would be able to see the shuttle and space station in the southern night sky at about 30 degrees. I went outside and I was surprised to find that I was able to find it and follow it until it was no longer visible :) I can't find anything on the news about it, but this guys brother works for a company who is doing satellite work for NASA... seems to be a pretty trustworthy source :) I hope you all get a chance to see it... it was pretty darned cool! I was told we'd be able to see it tomorrow around 8pm... i hope i get a chance to see it again! I wish i could photograph it!!!!!!!

the beginning of the end (or the beginning of the beginning)

I start my new 2nd job today... I leave in about 20 minutes actually. I'm NERVOUS this morning, and I can't figure out why my tummy is so tied up in knots. I'm not going to be actually doing anything for at least the first few days.... I'm going to watch Whitney to see where the kids are and then pick up maybe Wednesday and Thursday, or wait till next week. I can't stomach the thought of eating breakfast... worse nerves than dog show nerves!!!!! EEK! I got a good nights sleep and thoroughly enjoyed it, since tonight, Tuesday night and Wednesday night I will get 4 hours of sleep each night.... I'm thinking of asking the boss if I can leave an hour early, or change my schedule to shift it an hour earlier for these 9 weeks.... We'll see. Wish me luck!

Supported Entry trophies

They gave custom ceramic pieces as supported entry prizes... and my girlie girl was on a few of the pieces :)

In everyone's goodie bags, they got a coaster with an image on it... Renay wanted to make sure I got my special one :)
It's really hard to photograph, but it's kinda cool to have custom work with my dog on it :)

And then for winners dog and bitch they got a nice medium sized plates... and Renay was nice enough to hold one with Sedona on it for me :)
Isn't that cool? :) I want to display it :) She's always been such a pretty little thing :)

For the bigger wins, Breed, Opp, BOW, there were bowls and a couple of pitchers... not sure how it all divvy'd up, but they were neat :)

the dog show ....

We went to Tucson (again) for a dog show....

Saturday Chance was 2nd in his class of two and Sedona didn't place in her class of 6. Thanks to Karen and Renay and Shannon, I learned how to show Chance better and it shows already! Little guy really CAN move... I was holding him back. Poor kid ;-) I promised him I'd do a better job from here on out. :)

Today I applied what I worked on yesterday with the ladies with BOTH of the dogs (tho Sedona has no goofy topline issues... hers is dead on... ) and it really made a difference with BOTH dogs... Chance still came in 2nd of two in his class, but he got really weird on the table (the judge had us facing in where everyone stands to get ready to go in the ring....) and then when we went back in fro RWD, he spooked at something.... maybe he wasn't on his best mentally.... ;-) He moved a ton better. I felt it, and Shannon commented too.
Sedona doesn't move nearly as nice as Chance does, but she's getting better with some treadmill work. :) She placed 3RD in her class of 6 today! I was SO glad. She moved better today I think, because I applied what I was doing with Chance... She's blowing coat hand over fist now... It's only a matter of time before that oh-so-very-special-time comes .... I can tell already, Chance will be a nut case... *sigh* Thank goodness for having a gazillion crates!!!! :)

Next dog show will be during the Nationals... April 12th and 13th in Casa Grande. It's the "close" one to me... it's 30 minutes away :) They have an obedience day on Friday the 11th that I'm thinking of entering Kota in... I want to start working on his RE but I worry a lot about ring conflicts and stuff with the other two... They have 2 trials that day... I have to make up my mind by Wednesday ;-) Entries should be pretty small... I think I'm up to counting 4 boys and 3 girls....?

Happy Birthday Kate!!!

Tresha & Brandon's Wedding

Yesterday, my 2nd cousin, Tresha married a wonderful man, Brandon. I was lucky enough to have been invited and to spend the day with FAMILY :)

Before the wedding, Pam and I had a picture taken together :) Pam is my cousin... my fathers sisters daughter :) You can see the short genes got us both ;-) (her worse than me!). Pam and her family live in Ohio.

Pam, myself, and my Aunt Sheri (Pam's mom & my dad's sister). See how TALL I look???? Isn't it great??? ;-)
This is my cousin Don with his daughter, Tresha. Don is Pam's brother. :)
Another shot, so you can see that beautiful gown of hers! Wowza was she a beautiful bride!!! :)

This is Karen & Erika. Karen is my cousin Cheryl's oldest daughter, and Erika is my cousin Pam's youngest daughter. I think Karen and her family live in Michigan and Erika and her family live in Ohio.
Left to right: Michael (Cheryl's son), Cheryl, her husband Jeff, and her father, my uncle, Don.
Don walking Tresha down the aisle.
Ring bearer, Beau (Pam's son Jerrie & his wife Janel's son). Isn't he the cutest??
Top, left to right: Jason (Pam's son), Pam, Erika. Bottom, left to right: Uncle Don, Jerrie (Pam's other son).
Top, left to right: Michael & Karen. Bottom, left to right: Cheryl, Jeff & Aunt Sheri
Tresha dancing with the ring bearer (Beau) and flower girl (Ruby)
Uncle Don and Cheryl enjoying themselves.
Pam dancing with her grandson, Beau
I had THE GREATEST time with my family.... getting to KNOW most of them for the first time actually! I have a TON more pictures that I will post when I get home... this is what I had put online already.... It was a great night... and the coolest part (aside from spending awesome time with my family?) was that I CAUGHT THE BOUQUET!!!! :)

I'll post more pictures tonight and will fill in the gaps :) But suffice it to say, I had a fabulous time, and it does seem that 2008 is going to be a great year!!!

a wedding...

My cousin's daughter is getting married today!

My cousin Don's (step) daughter Tresha is marrying a wonderful man named Brandon today at 4pm, and it will be the first time in 12 years I've seen some of this family. It will be the first time EVER that I have met my eldest cousin Cheryl, who also happens to be my GodMother. My aunt and uncle have five kids and of the five, three are here (with their kids and their kids kids!)

So excited :) Hopefully I will have some pictures to share later :)

Life's Simple Pleasures.....

Before work I got into watching Awakenings (with Robin Williams and Robert DeNiro) but had to leave and forgot to set Tivo to catch the rest for me... was slightly bummed, but oh well, right?
So tonight I come home, clean up the massacre of the yet to be found dead toy and sit down to watch some TV... and guess what's on?
Awakenings.
Not only is it ON, but it's almost in the exact same spot as I had left it! It must have come on at noon and again at midnight ... LOL
Don't know why, but it amused me :)

mismark, or no?

Someone posted this cutie to the SW list asking if it would be considered a mismark.... There is a vote both ways right now (only two of us have spoken up). What say you.....? I said it is....

Canada Del Oro - 3/22 & 23

Saturday

23 CARD WELSH CORG 9-11- 2-1

sweeps

11 SWEEPSTAKES

Sunday

23 CARD WELSH CORG 9-11- 2-1

Wish us luck.....

a big huge monster sized pet peeve

Since moving here, I've experienced a plethora of feelings.... love, hate, frustration, elation.... but every single weekend I experience pure ANGER.

It is NOT uncommon to see idiots, oh, i mean people on the sides of the roads SELLING PUPPIES!!!!

Well that in and of itself frustrates the HELL out of me.... but today topped the cake. I was at a major intersection which leads to a major freeway and I saw a truck on the side of the road "LAB PUPPIES FOR SALE" but I saw no one. UNTIL....

I looked a little distance from the truck and there was an idiot, oh, i mean man, and he had 2 little baby lab puppies following him. Did the idiot not think that the puppies could BOLT into the very busy road and get SQUASHED? I so badly wanted to turn around and give him a stern talking to.

The day I see any Corgis or Corgi mixes being sold road side I WILL stop and yell..... until then, I grumble, piss and moan, and look away....
*sigh*

it's really really happening....

I went down today and turned in all the paperwork, got an employee handbook and was supposed to have gotten my badge, had the machine not decided to be a PITA. I'm officially employed by the school district I went to school in! How funny is that!!?? :)

I actually did therapy today with three groups of kids, and while I was a little timid during the first group, the 2nd and 3rd were really quite fun! I got tons of compliments from the lady who let me work with her kids, and even more compliments from the Special Services director who was OH so happy that I was really interested in doing this. If she only had an INKLING of how long I've been waiting to do this :)

It's one of my very first "dreams come true" :)

Now to figure out what I need to do with this batch of kiddos I have :) At least I have two weeks to figure it out :) (knowing me, I'll procrastinate until the very last second!!)

Oh, and I have a classroom already! wowza! :-O

This is really happening.....

THE LIST!!!

Proof that this is REALLY happening.... Here I thought I was just going to shadow someone today and get a feel of how the flow works.... oh no. They've got bigger and better plans for me already!

I met initially with Laurie, so is the Speech Path coordinator for the district who is at Desert Mountain Elementary. She gave me a schedule she thought the people at Queen Creek Elementary needed. It was M-Th 9a-11a. That can be do-able for me for a 9 week period (which is what this is for).

Keeping in mind folks, that this was sought out by me because I needed 150 VOLUNTEER Clinical hours. So now I will be getting PAID for these hours, and basically have my own case load from the get go.

After this nine week post, they will then sign me on for the school year 08-09 at whichever school (most likely Queen Creek Elementary) needs me most. There are FOUR Speech Path's right now at Queen Creek! And this is the school they're basically hiring me into and giving me kids!

So starting March 24th, I will start this 2nd job/beginning of a new life thing I've got going on.

I can hardly believe this is happening!

FreeCycle....

If you haven't heard of Freecycle, you should check it out.... It's a lot of extra email, but sometimes in there you can find a gem :) Today I picked up the first things I've decided to get Freecycled ... :) I've been the giver before, but never the recipient :)

3 crates... 2 large and 1 medium sized. There are chew marks, and they're in need of a good cleaning, but hey, you can never have enough crates, right?

And the Pièce de résistance.....

I finally got a treadmill!!!!!

It's missing a foot, causing it to sit sideways (easy to fix) and the lady said the rollers need oiling. I turned it on and it was ok.... it's not silent, but i wouldn't expect it to be.

First victim was Sedona.... who after a few attempts realized that Yes, I did indeed expect her to WALK on that thing....
Next Chance... he swore it was killing him and scurried backwards every time....
And then Kota, who didn't get it at first but was the most curious of them all... He figured it out, and once he did, he regretted it ;-)

So yay! Once I get the foot, *I* can use it too... but in the meantime, I can get the dogs going... especially after Kim S's handler lady said that Sedona could stand to lose a pound (yea yea, I know... it's not a problem ;-) )

I'm still so very tired..... no nap yet....

and the results are.....

Sedona & Chance's Dog Show Chariot

They BOTH got ribbons today! Yay! How sad, that I'm excited to get ribbons at all these day! LOL Yesterday Sedona was so far OUT of the ribbons it was sad... but today she was 3rd! :) I'll take what I can get ;-) She showed nicely and had a pretty ok time.... It was REALLY windy and the dogs were weird... both of my dogs were looking behind themselves a lot today... Not sure if it was the wind, or something I need to train them out of...
So in Sedona's class, Addy (Harry) was first, Bella was 2nd, Sedona was third and Crush was fourth. Winners bitch was Addy, and I think Bella was reserve..
Chance won his class which was nice :) And had he not completely decided to act like the biggest boy goon ever, we might have had a chance. Thanks Chance. Alright.. so Walker was behind Chance in Winners and he just wanted to look at Walker for some reason. So I grabbed his muzzle and was pulling it forward when he ROLLED with my pressure and rolled onto his back like a goon.... and yes, of course it was when the judge was looking. I think the judge really liked Chance, he just blew it at the wrong time. He will be a beautiful boy with some more maturing and coat... Winners Dog went to Jennifer's boy Cassidy, and reserve was Walker.
Left by 9:30am and have been busy ever since.... (you'll see those posts before you see this one...)

off to the show...again

Well, with another 3 hour night of sleep, the car is packed, I am dressed (tho I'm questioning myself with every passing moment), and I'm ready to toss the two kids in the car and Kota in his crate... I'm envisioning purple.... hope you all are too (for me, of course *wink*)
Updates later...