A New Look

Of all the colors known to man, Hailey chose this one...twice.

Last year Hailey wanted a new color for her room so Dave brought
a bunch of paint chips home. She chose this exotic lime green.

Then a month ago Hailey hinted again that she would sure like her
room painted. So Dave again went to Home Depot and brought home
the exact paint chips that he did before. She chose the same exotic
lime green.


The most amazing thing about this color however, is that Dave
consented to it and completed the room in only three days.

My Mom is Cooler Than Your Mom !

My mom is really fun. She does stuff, lots of stuff. My mom is
not the typical mom. When I go to her house she does not offer
me freshly baked cookies nor does she knit me a sweater.
Instead, she tells me to grab a water bottle because we're about
to go on a strenuous bike ride.
When she plans our yearly family vacations we never go to a
plush resort or a relaxing beach. No, we go hiking and
climbing and exploring and rafting and camping and biking.
It's exhausting!

Mom traversed a steep cliff to make it to this river. Risky behavior
for a 65 year old! Not a good example for your grandchildren!



Slot canyons will not stop her.


Bring on the danger!


How many moms do you know that will sleep out under the
stars miles and miles from civilization. My mom will!


My mom doesn't get her nails done, she doesn't get facials at
the spa. She doesn't watch Opra or read gossip magazines.
My mom is a mover.



No way is mom going to sit idly at the beach wearing a wide
brimmed hat. She's not an old lady!



She even plays the electric guitar. Rock it Mom!

The moments I relish most of all are when we all sit down at
the same chaotic table and have a big chaotic dinner. We
do this at least once a month. Thanks to mom!

After Christmas Blues

Love Christmas, Don't Want It to End

I love how the house looks for Christmas. I love the lights and the
decorations and the music and the parties. But come New Year's
Day all that I love gets put into a box and stored away.

Joys of Christmas

Christmas ain't easy!


Especially when there is a "sing-a-long" and I can't be sure of
what song I'm supposed to be singing


Christmas is hard. Especially when you need the "jaws of life" to
extricate your kids toy from the box it comes in

Wait a minute Tanner.....hold on.... just let me get that box off.....

Two hours later.....



Christmas is hard when the wrapping paper is more like an
indestructible tear resistant polymer and less like a decorative
disguise.
Use your teeth Hailey. If that doesn't work then I'll get the chainsaw


All that work for a bottle of lotion?


Christmas is hard because I usually get confused with Dave's choice
of gifts. This year he got me a Kindle (yeah!) But also two boxes
of books (huh?)


Christmas is hard for Dave because I always give him gifts
representing a "theme". This year I paid tribute to his "metro"
personality. I gave him some fabulous leather boots, a
merino wool scarf and gloves. Unfortunately, I forgot to
include the West Side Story Soundtrack--- "I feel pretty, oh so pretty,
I feel pretty and witty and ___!"



Sniffles, the guinea pig, is the only one that doesn't think Christmas
is hard. He doesn't have to unwrap his Christmas carrot.

Mission Accomplished

BEFORE: Tanner monopolized the master bedroom. The bed
was essentially his domain where he spread out like Henry VIII
after a good meal. Even though we've attempted to relocate his
slumber to other locations, he has inevitably returned, refusing
to leave.




TRANSITION: After ten years we've finally felt ready to kick Tanner
out of the bedroom completely. We locked the bedroom door. We
locked the cupboards. We locked the fridge. For all we cared, he
could roam the house all night if so inclined. In the weeks that
followed we woke up to find Tanner asleep on the couch. All lights
were on, the sink was running, the TV was blaring. BUT... he was
out of our bed!




NOW: The poor boy has finally realized that his own bed is fairly
comfortable and warm. Each night we'll still hear him rattling the
locked master bedroom door trying to return, but in the morning
Tanner will be back in his very own bed. After all these years
Tanner's room has an occupant.

Use The Fork!

We all know that Tanner's greatest pleasure is eating.
He eats with such gusto, with such wild abandonment
that it really bums him out when he's reminded to
use his fork. Lately, however, using the fork has
brought an unusual reaction.

There Goes The Neighborhood

On Halloween a hobo child camped out on my front steps.
She looked so pathetic that I gave her a piece of candy and
sent her on her way. The next thing I know she's begging
all over the neighborhood. Later, following a rain storm,
she knocked on my door again looking a little soggy and
cold. So I took her in, gave her a bath and discovered
that the hobo was actually my daughter!


Featuring Dave's new graveyard attraction...handmade
gravestones with catchy epitaphs. I had to make sure
he didn't go to political.


Dave's proudest achievement, however, is his vomiting pumpkin.