I'm keeping it simple this year.

I'm hosting Christmas day this year.
Tree is up, which means I'm decorated... check.
Thursday I will pick up the mess...check.
Warren will fry 2 turkeys, and everyone else is bringing food...check.

I'm ready to party. I have a few drink varieties, some paper plates, a few chairs from my mother-in-law, presents are done, I think.

I'm not letting myself feel any pressure. It's all good.
Enjoy the journey.

Last Friday after the Homecoming game at Wilson one of our students was shot and killed by a gang member not related to the school. It was random that Melody got killed, it could have been anyone.

Tears, saddness, mourning...

Wednesday they arrested some guys it might be. (Yeah!)

Today, Friday one week later there was a new threat of another shooting in retaliation for maybe having arrested the wrong guy. Gang Warfare!

What is going on? This doesn't happen in my world. Or at least it didn't used to.

I have no idea where this photo was taken, but my hubby's i-phone/camera is awful. This is a recent pic of Zander from daddy's phone.

So you've maybe heard of the little sex scandal here in CA with Mike Duvall?

I'm so ashamed. I voted for the guy. He represents my district. I used to think most politicians are in it for the good of the people. Maybe they really are just power hungry schmucks after all!

The fact that he stepped down so fast after this story broke on Wednesday tells me there is a whole lot of misconduct on his part he is trying to hide. I hope the ethics commitee about to investigete him finds enough evidence to take him to the cleaners. He was so stupid as to be having an affair with a lobyist! Conflict of interest much?

Today we played a game in the car. "Who can stay quiet the longest?"

My poor sheltered 7 year old...won the game 3 times! He folded his hands and smiled at me in the rearview mirror, very intent on winning.

His sister...not so much. Maybe she was more savy. She lost three times, usually by saying "Mommy stop being silly."

With pilots like these our trip to Florid was bound to be great!

I have never really paid attention to the tides of the ocean.

Yesterday and today I really saw it.

Last night at 6:30 pm, I took the kids to Huntington Harbor Bay. It has a park and a beach with no waves (a mommy favorite). The tide was high, and coming in. The typically large beach was down to about 25% of it's usual spread. When we arrived I drew a line in the sand to see how fast the tide was coming in; and it seemed like 5 minutes and the water had reached my line. Lizzy loved the water, because there was a large mass of shallow water to splash around in.

By 8 pm the whole beach was covered. There was a boardwalk separating the high water line and the playground, but we packed up to come home.

This morning we went back to really have a day at the beach. When we arrived at 11:30 am the beach was back. The water level had dropped a good 2 feet in depth. Zander plopped down at the water's edge with his shovel and sand toys and not 15 minutes later the water was 3 feet away from him. When we left at 3:00 the water had dropped a total of 4 feet from high tide. (That's not 4 feet of sand. It's more like 100 yards of sand, 4 feet depth.)

I couldn't tell that the tide had turned yet. Which amazes me to think that it takes all day for the water to go down 4 feet, but maybe 4 or 5 hours to rise back up again by 8 pm tonight.

There is a Bible verse somewhere that talks about the oceans. Something like, "Who tells the oceans that they may only come this far?" I already used this word, but I have to use it again. I am amazed at how vast the ocean is, amazed at how wide and how high and how great is the love of God. It makes me feel so small, and yet well taken care of.

I just read about a friend who is going to pay for surgery on her dog. Who knows how much that will be? In fact, this year my sister-in-law spent $4,000 for surgeries on her 16 year old dog. Sparky will still have to be put down in the next year.

My philosophy is "if it costs more that $200 then put the dog to sleep and get a new dog."

When I was 19 we put Sandy to sleep. She was 11 years old. I mourned so hard for that dog. I haven't let myself love dog so much since. I don't have time in my life to lay down for a week and cry again. Although every dog I have had since her have been little white fluffy things too. I'm happy.

But I'm venting here instead of "there" because I really don't wan't to hurt this friend. I'm sure you can take it. Hate me if you must for being so crass about my "dog surgeries", but who's the one with $4,000 still in the bank?

This is the whole crew at Norway Buffet. Disney turned it into Belle's castle and we get family photo with the hostess.

Zander was not pleased to be eating lunch with the princesses.

Back row, Lynette(Grandma), Warren(my man), Belle, Chrishanne(me), Aunt Janet
front row, Zander, David(Grandpa), Lizzy

Am I allowed to be disappointed in myself that I watched the whole thing?

Jennifer Hudson was the highlight for me.  She can sing.

I was just trying to reply to a post in another group, but because I am not a member it won't take my reply.  Fine.  I'll just post it here.

Post:

If I hear that "women submit to your husbands" verse one more time from my parents I will strangle them. I'm not even ENGAGED yet, for crying out loud.

My reply:

"Women submit" used to infuriate me as well. But after being married for 14 years I have a different understanding of the phrase. It's hard to explain. It take it literally now. But the other side of the coin is "Husbands love your wife." Which in reality turns out to be the same "submit" idea. To have peace in a marriage you both submit to each other, and everybody wins.

If your parents know that the phrase makes you angry, then I would think they would learn to hush up. They can take the high moral ground of keeping quiet and thinking to themselves "she'll see what we mean in a few years of marriage." I insisted that those words "submit" not be in my vows and no body argued with me. But now, I understand the word differently.

I'm not posting here much because facebook has taken over my free time.    sorry.  But I love reading up on everything here.

I'm having a lovely day off, getting nothing done and feeling guilty for it.

7 am Finished a book.
8:30 Got Mcdonalds breakfast, I needed pancakes without any effort.
10:00 Started singing along with the Karoke machine...

3 hours later

1:00 Put on a movie for the children to shut hush them up.
so I could check out what's up on-line.

I'm feeling the guilt of "what would my mother think of my house?"
I haven't even showered yet.

And since that is about how bad my life is these days I need to end with this
"Yes, my diamond shows are too tight for my feet!"

I went to the gym this morning.  It was the first time since last summer.  Since I'm on spring break I don't have any excuses.  Every time we drive by the gym the kids beg to go in.  They love the playground in the kids club.  And today they got their playtime. 

I've lost 20 pounds since Christmas this year.  Now I feel ready to take it up a notch.  I want to lose 30 pounds before our trip to Disneyworld in June.  I have to start trying again for that to happen.  I've just been maintaining for 2 months.

I hate telling people I'm dieting because of the inevitable gain back.  Any one have any ideas for motivation after my big trip?

I jogged and walked for 40 minutes on the treadmill.  The last 2 minutes I ran, sprinted even, and when I got off, I had the runners high.  It's been a really long time since I felt that.  I felt like I was floating, but thats because I didn't cool down much before hopping off.  Head-rush.

Loosing 20 pounds is always rewarding in my closet.  All my clothes fit again, and I don't have to go out and buy new ones.  When you get past that 30 pound mark then things start hanging, and it's time to go shopping again.  I don't have any grudges about getting new clothes, it's just the money. 

One last thing about loosing weight was how much money I was saving at the grocery store.  It was shocking.  My bill seemed cut in half.

I lost my keys today at the church easter egg hunt.  (Saturday)  Just in case they were in the car I called AAA to unlock the car.  As most people were leaving, he arrived and unlocked my car.  Still no key.  With about 5 kids still left we sent them on a hunt in the grass for the key, while I tried cleaning out my car. 

As I changed my sunglasses back for my indoor glasses, there was my key.  I asked if I could earn the prize for finding my key, even though it wasn't in the grass.

8 years! 

8 years our camper has been parked on the cement pad in front of our house.  That is in front of the chimney, next to the walkway up to the fornt door, left side of our lot.  The right side of the lot is the garage facing the street and a 21 foot driveway.  (sort of short)

After 8 years the city decides that we are in violation of code, move it.

One reason I am so upset about this is because I can't fix it.  This is all Warren. I have no control over the solution and I can't help.  Now keep in mind this is not your father's camper.  It's pretty.  2001 Lance nine foot/ with a slide out wall.  It is not the eyesore. 

I believe the true reason the city is picking on us, or our neighbors are complaining...is my husband's toy car, the 1978 rusty ole Land Cruiser.  They tried sending us a letter a few months ago that you cannot have a car in the driveway that is undrivable, unregisterd, ugly, rusty dumpster type vehicle.  Which I agree.  The problem with their assessment was that it is registered.  It is drivable.  It is street legal, etc.  We fought that letter and won.   On top of the that , well to the right of that...in the driveway Warren had parked a flat trailer for hauling his toy truck to and from playtime (camping).  That is also an eyesore. 

In order to keep my marriage, I have to let some things go.  And everything relating to the Cruiser is off limits for discussion.  However, being my partner, Warren also concedes to my opinions as well.  He purchased the trailer on the condition that it would always be stored in the garage.  It has not been in the garage for 3 years.  It's been in the driveway.

Ideally, everything fit on our lot. Camper on patio, trailer in garage, 3 cars in driveway, my van, his truck, his toy truck (which by the way needs a new $1500 transfer case that he busted last month.)

Anyway...long story short, my husband cleaned the garage yesterday, and moved the trailer into the garage where it is supposed to be.  Then he moved the camper into the driveway.  I am amazed at how wonderful the garage is.  So what am I complaining about?  The city forced my husband to get off his arse and do what I couldn't talk him into doing.  Thank you code enforcement department!

But I still liked my camper on that patio.  And I'm sure you all would still hate living next door to me.

I'm watching my husband finish assembling a push cart for the Cub scout Derby tomorrow. He is having so much fun. There's a blow torch involved, let alone the drilling. Who knew! Cub scouts were for 40 somethings.

Why is facebook down?
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Did I tell the whole world that my husband got a promotion at work?  He is now the supervisor of his group. 

The exciting part for me is to see him come home from work energized about his job again.  He has stories to tell about fires he is putting out, and the stupid things people do.

The down side is that he can't sell cub-scout fundraisers at work anymore, because someone could say, "I felt obligated to buy stuff.  He is the boss."  (gimme a break)  But it is a wise practice and simply protects him from the idiots who would do that.

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Is there any way to completely protect yourself from the idiots of the world?

Today I tried unlocking the door to my classroom with the clicker from my car. It took 3 clicks before I realized what I was doing wrong. :)

www.joshhosler.biz/

I came across this site from facebook.  This is a list of number one hit songs.  You can look up your birthday and see what were the hits that month and every year you can think of.

The funny thing is that as I read the list of songs from the 80s I could sing in my head every title I saw.  Up to the date of my wedding.  The year I got married I guess I stopped listening to music, and I don't recognize anything after 1995.

Help.