Bartholomew Update

You're probably wondering, "Who the heck is Bartholomew?"  Bartholomew is a starfish.  A dead one.  A dead starfish picked up by Allie in Monterey and smuggled back to our garage almost two years ago.  Yes, she did. 

Bartholomew got a mention in my post about our road trip to Monterey, CA (my personal Heaven on Earth):  http://crapstain.blogspot.com/2008/03/road-trip.html

When I wrote that post, I had no idea that Bartholomew was in our garage.  Mischievous kids!  This makes me smile  :o)

I'm Cold. But Not THAT Cold.

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If you have the great misfortune of being in my close circle of friends, you've probably had the great privilege of enduring my whiney contemplations about moving back to Virginia.  Being not the most patient, let-it-all-unfold type, I've been pushing myself (and Todd) for an answer: stay or go.  We've done the Pro/Cons list, assessed the risks, drilled the kids (to see how much therapy they'll need after moving them across the country for the 4th time), and still have no definitive answer.  Plus, I've been cold to the point of hibernation the last couple weeks, so I'm not even enjoying this 70-degree Arizona winter, so why be here?  So, this morning I turned to what has always helped clear my head:  photographs.  And I came across this photograph of me, taken by Todd on a trip to Virginia in December of 2005:

Arizona's looking better and better all the time.

Happiness...

Blast From the Past: Old Friends, My First 35mm Camera, and General Hospital

I am giggling just writing this!  This first picture is me (on the right, with my VERY FIRST 35mm camera) with my wonderful friend Lisa and her equally wonderful dad, circa 1990.  Lisa and I were stationed at DLI in the Air Force.  We lived next-door to each other for a while.  She was (and is) one of my favorite people on the entire planet.  She took a bunch of us down to LA to stay with her fam.  Great times!  Great memories!  I'm going to see Lisa soon...SO excited!

Lisa's dad worked at ABC studios and took us on a tour.  We played on the set of General Hospital.  I'm the one serving coffee on the far left.  Bwahahaha!  That was soooo fun!  Everything with Lisa was fun!

Disneyland, circa 1990.  Matt & me, hanging with the pigs!

New Year's Resolutions

I don't usually make New Year's Resolutions.  Mostly because I know I'm not going to keep them anyway, so why put forth the effort of thinking these things up?  This year, however, I made a few resolutions.

#1:  Take more hot bubble baths.  (So far, so good!  I've taken 4 hot bubble baths in the past 10 days and loved every second.)

#2:  Stop being a retard about cutting my hair.  (Check.  Hair is short.)

#3:  Spend more time with hubster and kids.  (So far, so good!  Todd and I are having more date night, the kids and I are doing more things together.  Bryce and I have more park days planned.  Someone gave us a huge airhockey table and we've all been playing together.)

#4:  Get some things I need/want for the business.  (Check.  Alienware computer with 12GB of RAM; 70-200mm f2.8 VRII and a few other small items coming in Feb.)

#5:  Go see my mom.  (Check.  Tickets will be bought in Feb. for our trip at the end of May/early June).

#6:  Be more positive and patient.  (Trying so very hard!  Doing pretty well...it's a process.)

#7:  Eat better.  (So far, bueno.)

And there you have it.  All things I should be doing anyway, so why does it take a new year to get into the game?  Shrug. 

Here are some pics Todd make Saturday evening as a prelude to date night (we went to Costa Vida and chowed...yum!).  Can't see the new haircut toooooo well, but there it is.  I plan on cutting it shorter next month.  Look at me, all daring.  haha.

Scary Crapstain!

I just walked into my bedroom and gazing adoringly at The Cuteness Known as Bryce (yes he still sleeps in our bed; I'm not ready to give that up) and noticed his lips were pale BLUE.  I panicked!  I thought he wasn't breathing, but a split second later, he twitched.  So, I leaned in to get a closer look and realized the blue lips were the result of a blue raspberry Bahama Buck's shaved ice I couldn't scrub completely off from his mouth last night. 

Scared the crap outta me!

I Cut Off All My Hair! WHOO HOO!

Sorry, I don't have a picture to post, but I finally did it...I got my hair cut short. I've been wanting to do it for a while and finally got to the point that I was ready. Yesterday. And in a great Sign from the Universe, my hairdresser (who moved 2.5 hours away) was coming back to do hair. So, she popped in at 8 last night and took off over a foot of hair. You should've seen her...she was GIDDY with excitement. Why do hair dressers LOOOOVE to cut off long hair?

I will take a pic soon...I'm editing someone else's right now and am "pictured out."

Surrender