Year in Review

2008 Memories
Not enough time to sleep
Lots of laughs
Lots of tears
Many kid meltdowns
Half marathon
Mark's dad visiting
Watching Chris succeed with his lamb at fair
Death of Aunt Carol
Reconnecting with Uncle Tony
Laughter and tears with cousins in NY
Reunion in Tucson with Up With People friends
Memories of a lifetime flooding back
Many mimosas in Tucson
Markie starting school
Lizzy starting a new school and thriving
New gym for Lizzy, level four competitions
Fun with the girls in Vegas
Lots of fun supper clubs, friends have come and gone
Buying a car with Bella
Visits from Mark's sisters
Couple of 10K's
Long trip to Yuma
Celebrating Nancy's mom's birthday
Over indulgent Christmas
Watching the kids grow and mature
Birthday celebrations for everyone


It was a good year. The kids are growing so fast. Our household is constantly in motion. Always something happening. We are blessed with friends and family that visit often, as Markie allows his room to be transformed into the guest suite with sleeping in his "loft" aka bunkbed. A few visitors we have had as overnight guests: Grandpa Larry from Michigan, Nana & papa from Yuma, Michelle from Tucson, Curtis from Seattle, Heather, Hilary and Bob from Cleveland, Jean from Minnesota, about a half dozen of Lizzy's friends from Mesa and Tempe, Ben from Tempe. We added a new member of our family with the adoption of Smudge the kitten. Zelda's health is failing as she turned 16 this year, but she is hanging in there as she is Bella's constant companion. Oh, and I almost forgot our snake, whom I found in our kitchen one night and now lives in an empty fish tank. I wonder what will come in 2009, always an adventure. We are looking forward to an ironman for Mark in Idaho, another week in Sedona, a birthday celebration for me in Cabo, adults only July 7 - 12, anyone want to join us? God bless us all and keep us healthy for another year!

A Christmas in Yuma

Some pictures of our Christmas in Yuma. The kids and I went down on Monday and Mark came down after getting off of work on Christmas Eve. We had a great Christmas! It was full of lots of opening presents, putting batteries in various games and cameras, baking, eating lots of good food, lots of fun. A few things the kids said that stand out in my mind. Markie on Christmas morning looking at the presents under the tree, "This is like three Christmases." Lizzy after the opening was done, "I got everything I wanted." Markie got a special impromptu blessing after saying hello to our priest in Yuma on our way into mass that has been there since I was growing up, he promptly fell asleep after that. (Markie, not the priest.) Bella enjoyed everything but I think she liked the tabletop dancing, singing santa my mom has at her house better than anything. It was a fun Christmas, hectic as we returned home Christmas night since I had to work the next day. Chaotic, but I thank God for every chaotic, hectic moment as I know others who are less fortunate are alone for the holiday, and I am blessed with a fun, big family.

Christmas Photos

New outfits and shoes for three kids : $90 (used some shoes we already had for two)
Haircuts for two oldest kids: $19.98
Dollar store bribe to get their haircut at the cheap place: $6
Matching pajamas for the second shot: $12 (clearance at wal-mart)
Pictures at the expensive place: Priceless if you can get a shot off.

After herding everyone into the car, shoving extra shoes, brush, gel, hair accesories in a bag, off we go 15 minutes late to Portrait Innovations. Got inside, no problems yet. Try to put the brand new dress over Bella's head, she is screaming, throwing her body on the floor, all I can make out that she is saying is "no dress". The only other clothing I have for her is the pajamas and the scooby doo tshirt she napped in w/ her diaper. The picture lady comes over, asks me if it is typically difficult to get her picture. I am thinking, nothing is typical with a two year old. I calmly tell her she will be fine, so off to the Christmas tree room we go. I finally get the dress over her head and two out of three buttons done. Now the fit gets really good, lots of crying, screaming. It was endearing to watch Markie and Bella try to help by talking to her, offering her sippy cup, etc. They were very patient, especially Lizzy since she has been waiting for weeks to get her picture in her new outfit. Anyways, the picture lady finally asked if we wanted to come back another day, I asked if I could come back in an hour, I figured I could run next door to Target and buy a different outfit for Bella, calm her down and come back. Much to my dismay, they could not fit me in again until Monday. I will be in Yuma on Monday until after Christmas. I find it hard to believe they had no openings until Monday. I find it hard to believe they cater to kids, yet could not squeeze me in in an hour seeing as how my child was having a world class melt down. Anyways, they did not make any exceptions in their busy schedule, someone needs to open a photography place down the street, they are just too busy! So off we went home. The pictures you are seeing are my two basically following Bella around until she would look at the camera and I tried to snap away. They best pictures are in front of my neighbor's yard. When my battery went dead on my camera I just gave up. I did snap a few fun ones.

Guest Blogger

Wel, since the trend is a guest blogger, I invited Smudgy to be my guest blogger today. She is constantly walking across my keyboard desperate to get a message typed out with her paws, so I thought I'd give her a shot, who knows, maybe she will start her own blog when she is a little older.


Meow. Boy, am I hungry. Well, I will have a bite of dog food until someone decides to fill my bowl, I like it better anyways. Since the kids are off to school on that big yellow bus I have the run of their rooms. Well, now that my belly is full it is time to go lay on Lizzy's bed and look out the window, maybe I will take a midmorning nap......before the little one wakes up and starts chasing me and pulling my tail. She is the only one that likes to play with me, I keep trying to chase Pumpkin, the old orange cat that was living here when I arrived, but hejust blows me off. Well, nap time.....yawn.....

ELP kid

Lizzy made ELP! ELP stands for Extended Learning Pull-out Service. It is a one day a week pullout program where she will be bussed to another school to work in a resource room with an ELP teacher who has been specially trained to offer students additional challenges in a variety of areas. It is an acclelerated program as well as an enrichment program for grades 3 - 6. The goals for the program are: 1. To develop and use various creative and critical problem solving skills 2. To develop and use extensive research skills 3. To develop self direction and a positive self image. She had to test into the program and get at least a 96 in one area as well as pass another test, she got a 98 nonverbal, a 94 verbal and a 86 quantitative. On the WISC-II/IV/Binet test she needed a 128 in any area and she got 133,137 and 139. I am so excited she has this opportunity. Her teacher wanted her to test, but I really didn't think she would make it. She has always done well in school, but I just never thought she was gifted, just a high achiever. I was surprised last week when she casually told me on Wed. that her teacher told her two days earlier she had made the program. I got the info in the mail a few days later. Why is took her two days to tell me I'll never know....because I know she really wanted to make it. I am so excited we chose her neighborhood school this year. Knowing my tax dollars are going for her education is nice, and having her close to home is great. She has a great teacher and a nice class. She is still trying her best, which is all I can ask for. Way to go Lizzy, we are all proud of our new ELP student!!!

Thanksgiving

I am thankful for good friends and family and good times this Thanksgiving. The turkey was the juiciest ever, the cheesecake was the creamiest, the green bean casserole got just the right amount of crispiness on top, the pumpkin pies were perfect, the stuffing was the best ever. I hosted Thanksgiving with my friend Curtis in town to make his mom's famous rolls from scratch. I kicked off the day running a 10 K turkey trot with Mark, lucky to have Curtis at the house to pop the brining turkey in the oven! Nancy and Tamra came over around noon. We had the perfect dinner, then relaxed and cleaned up. Curtis made us all turkey sandwiches and then the Marin family came over for games, fun, and dessert. We had so much fun, laughing and gorging ourselves on desserts and lots of great drinks. Everybody stayed late, had a blast. I am thankful for my turkey day!

State Meet

Lizzy had her first state meet on Saturday. She competed against 30 other 8 year olds from around the state. they were all within 6 months of her age, they break it down further than by year since there are so many kids. She got her first 9, a 9.275 on vault, which was good enough for 6th place. Now I won't get the question, when am I going to get a 9 Mommie? The thing I love about this sport is that Lizzy can see her improvement. She works hard, and sees the results. Of course, sometimes the results take a while and in a sport where you are "judged" there is always subjectivity. Overall it was a great meet. She got her highest score on bars, 8.8. She didn't do so well on beam and looked great on floor, scoring her average. She did make her highest all around. Her team finished second in the state. They were going for first, but as we all know, anything can happen in competition. Today at practice they had a pizza party and played games. It is nice to see they gave them a little break at practice. As far as being a mom goes, I am glad for the break until spring season starts late January. It is a lot of pressure, she has to be there on time, or she can't compete, she has to have this certain bow in her hair, or she can't compete, she has to have the right leo on, (yes, there are two competition leos) she has to have the right color flip flops. I am getting tired just thinking about it. Anyways, she still loves the sport, and is starting to experience a little success, so all is well in the Lizzy/gymnastics world.

In honor of Veteran's Day, for all the Veterans.

(Anon - alleged to have been found on a CSA casualty at the Devil's Den, Gettysburg)

I asked God for strength, that I might achieve.
I was made weak, that I might learn humbly to obey.

I asked for health, that I might do greater things.
I was given infirmity, that I might do better things.

I asked for riches, that I might be happy.
I was given poverty, that I might be wise.

I asked for power that I might have the praise of men.
I was given weakness, that I might feel the need of God.

I asked for all things, that I might enjoy life.
I was given life, that I might enjoy all things.

I got nothing that I asked for but got everything I had hoped for.
Almost despite myself, my unspoken prayers were answered.

I am, among all people, most richly blessed.

Veteran's Day

Time spent waiting for the parade to start: one and a half hours
Money spent at Starbucks waiting for parade to start: $11.50
Watching my nephew Ben Moore in the parade: Priceless

Senior Pets

I took Pumpkin, our beloved cat we have had since our first year of marriage back when we only had Izzy and lived in an apartment, to the vet last week for a check up. He has been slowing down a lot, and being that he is 15 I wanted to get him checked out. He is in good health I discovered from the exam, for another $200 I can run blood work and be sure, but I just took the vet's word that she is healthy. The vet proceeded to tell me she is a "senior cat" and our two dogs, Millie and Zelda, 10 and 16, are senior as well. She then proceeded to tell me only our new cat, smudge, was not senior, and in case I still didn't get it she told me 75% of the pets in my household were senior. I guess her point is that we should bring them in for regular visits when they are "senior". Actually I am not sure what her point was. I took Pumpkin, who was completely freaked out, and headed next door to our grooming appointment, Pum kitty has not been taking very good care of her fur in her senior years. The groomer took one look at her and made me stay to hold her so to not traumatize her. After I got bit twice in the first 5 minutes of her shaving off her matted fur areas, she finally put a collar thingy on her. Actually pumpkin is a boy, but for 15 years I have been calling her a girl. Anyways, 30 minutes and $20 later, I had a very angry half shaven senior cat. We went home and she sulked around the rest of the day.

Zelda is still doing well in her senior years, she stole my entire carls jr burger off the table tonight with no problem. She takes rimadyl every day for her arthiritis, at $1 a pill, we try to just give her a half a day, she moves like a puppy again. Millie is still our baby, so I can't even begin to think of her as senior, I am sorry but she is only 10!! Actually 9 and a half I think. Smudgy will turn one on May 17, her Aunt Kim's birthday! My nana's birthday as well. I knew that cat was special when Mark and Lizzy brought her home from Petsmart resue adoption center. Most of my pets may be senior, but they are mine for life, and I will care for them and love them through their best and worst.

More Halloween photos

Halloween 08 on the books.

As we wrapped it up last night, and the trick or treating was done, the candy had been "checked" and inventoried, the parents had relaxed in the driveway with some adult cocktails, Nicky from across the street wrapped it all up, he said to his mom, "Well, another Halloween for the record books." It was a great night, Markie, Lizzy, Bella, Ben and Alex went trick or treating with Max and Nicky from across the street. The princess and superman, (Bella and Alex) made it aroung the little block once and settled in with a movie in the driveway. They both had a great technique for their trick or treating, take the candy in their hand from the passer outer, look at it, pop it in their bag and on to the next house. They were both pretty prouc of their candy, especially Bella as this was her first official trick or treating. The big kids hit the whole neighborhood, only slowing down when their bags were full. This morning when Markie woke up I looked at his legs and feet and they were completely brown. TOo much fun in flip flops last night. The whole evening was a big success, another Halloween on the books!

Make It Happen

Make It Happen is the theme for the year for Lizzy's new gym. We decided to switch her gyms last week for a variety of reasons. Focusing on the positive, the new gym is more competitive, excellent coaches, one mile from the house, still lots of fun. Lizzy is adjusting well, ten days after switching gyms she was in her first competition last night. She loves her new long sleeve competition leo and all the hype at the new gym. They are very into the competitions and Lizzy is having fun with that. The funny story about the meet was really not so funny at the time, but here it is. They got tattoos to put on the corner of their face for the meet that said rock n roll, the meet was the rock n roll meet. So we had to put it on the right side of her face. Well, Lizzy was sticking it on her face going, right here, its got to go right here, so I grabbed the wet wash cloth and we stuck it on for a long time to make sure it would stick good. Took off the wash cloth, peeled off the back and my heart sunk. It was upside down. If you've ever applied a temporary tattoo to a child, you know there is no fixing it once its on. Lizzy had a relatively minor meltdown, and we decided an upside down tattoo was better than no tattoo. I guess you really couldn't tell, and she didn't get in trouble at the meet. Hey, you can't pick your parents, can you? So mommy screws up sometimes. Anyways, she had a fun meet, looked like she was very happy competing. Got her highest score ever on beam, 8.875, good enough for a medal! She seems to have transitioned quite well to the new gym. We think she will do well there.