Just call him Clark Griswold...

We may not have white Christmas' here in the desert, but Steve takes his lights pretty seriously.

Five days worth of stuff wrapped into two

We just wrapped up our first weekend with Sonoran Desert fall-like weather and, boy, did we pack it full.

Friday night we went to our District's rivalry high schools football game. I think this was the first high school football game I've attended in, oh, twenty three years? It was definitely the first high school football game ever for our two girls. The weather was perfect, the moon was full, we sat with fun friends (even if they were cheering for the other team) and our team won!

Saturday morning we were up early for Emily's second basketball game (the team won and she scored a basket) and Meg's ballet class.

While Megan and I got some chores done around the house, Steve and Emily headed out to the Casa Grande Municipal Airport for a fly-in. It was a proud moment for Steve when Emily returned home to excitedly announce, "We got to go inside a B-17!"




Saturday night, Steve participated in a Boys & Girls Club charity poker game while the girls and I hung out at our church for an outdoor feature presentation of Disney Pixar's "Up." Another wonderful evening under the stars with a harvest moon, more friends and real movie popcorn!

Today I took the girls to see the Broadway production of "Disney's Beauty and The Beast." The sets, costumes and musical performances were mesmerizing for all three of us girls, age six to forty-one.

Now it's time to pour a glass of wine, put my feet up and watch some Sunday night football.

Olivia and Geddy

We are very excited to formally introduce our newest family members, recently adopted through a local rescue organization.


Olivia is a black Maine Coon/Norwegian Forest cat with grey flags behind her ears and big green eyes. About ten months old, she has the sweetest temperament and takes the loving only a six year old can provide (read mauling) in stride. We were finding small stuffed animals from Megan's room distributed around the house, only to recently discover Olivia carrying them in her mouth like a mama cat carries her kittens. She likes to be in the middle of everything and has quickly become the lady of the house.



Geddy, a sleek grey tabby, is just simply a handsome boy. Steve picked him out, in hopes of balancing the male to female ratio in the house. A couple months younger than Olivia, he's a long, lean playing machine. Initially a little more timid than Olivia, he has settled in and enjoys having his belly rubbed and provoking Olivia into games of chase.



They have assimilated perfectly into our lives and filled a space left empty in our hearts. We are just as grateful to have these two furry friends in our home as they likely are to both have found their forever family.

"The Nited States of the Merica"

Megan has been learning and growing up so much since she started kindergarten in August. She's mastering everything from reading sight words to buying lunch. But I was especially proud of the mouthful of words she memorized in her first month at school...

Ten cubed

I don't really have anything to write about today. I just wanted to have a post for the record books on 10/10/10. So there you have it!

Now We Are Six

When I was One,
I had just begun.
When I was Two,
I was nearly new.
When I was Three
I was hardly me.
When I was Four,
I was not much more.
When I was Five,
I was just alive.
But now I am Six,
I'm as clever as clever,
So I think I'll be six now for ever and ever.

~ by A.A. Milne

Cheeto Bandito Halter (1994-2010)

On September 24th we said goodbye to our beloved Cheeto. She had been diagnosed with kidney failure a couple months before. With a change of diet and lots of tender loving care, the disease had been slowed down. But then she took an unexpected turn for the worse on the 23rd. With the guidance of our vet and what we already felt in our hearts, we knew what was the best thing to do. The girls had a chance to say their goodbyes before leaving for school that morning. Cheeto fell asleep peacefully in my lap with Steve and I both comforting her.

Having reached her golden years, I knew that this day was nearing but it was worse than I ever imagined. What is even more difficult was the void that was left. She was a part of our family and our daily routines have been changed.

I'm certain it will take us some time to get use to her not being around. She was a loyal kitty to me for sixteen years. She graciously accepted the tall man I brought into our lives 14 years ago and made the track with us from California to Arizona. She then again graciously welcomed two babies into our (read her) world. She became a beloved family pet to us all and we will miss her.