some pics from the hike. we didn't make it to the very top. but we were close. i stepped over a snake. saw some beautiful views. i like hiking. it's very cool. the coolest hike i have ever been on was the one i did on kauai with brianne. i still think about it. i told david--this hike reminds me of that one. except when you looked around you saw lush green trees, sheer cliffs and miles of ocean. so except for that it was the same. except for that cool crocodile tree. i'm pretty sure they didn't have that one there.

ok--it's official. i now work for uhaul. i knew my non-violent, anti-crank taking, non-alcoholic, anti-shoplifting personality would be a good match. i am now the official prescott, az uhaul storage manager. my new boss seems very nice. while he interviewed me this morning he was telling me part of my job required a personality that could work alone. DUDE--hire me now. i was meant to be here. plus i pretty much work while the girls are in school. no weekends. BENEFITS. people--i get a 401K. i know--it will only have $2 in it. but it's mine. and before you know it--that $2 will turn into ONE MILLION pesos. maybe.

it really is an answer to prayer. craig (my new boss) kept telling me during the interview that he didn't know why, but he just felt i was the right person for the job. seriously--he said it like 3 times. in fact he hired me on the spot and when i walked out of that office there were two other people waiting to get interviewed. so i felt good. so good that i went out and got wendy's for lunch. and they gave me fries. I ATE EVERY LAST FRY.

lastly, some funny kid things. carson and i were in the car today and she was telling me how in her science class she sometimes 'dozes off' while the teacher is giving instructions. would this be the class that you are getting a C in? yep. do you think that maybe you should try NOT to doze off during the "instruction" part. yeah--it's just so boring. like my teacher is giving the instructions and i am dozing and all of a sudden it's a quiz. then she says "i doze off in math too." and then the lightbulb goes off--oh, i'm getting a C in there too. do you think we can put an end to the dozing problem? well, i doodle in language arts. grade? C. 'nuff said.

i actually did a digi layout. i have been lacking in creativity lately and this was an attempt to jump back in. i know. looks like i was dozing...L

i have my own personal digi scrapper. ms kerry shumway. thank you very much for doing my scrapping for me. now if you would only come over here and clean my scraproom. that would be real love.

i survived the hike. didn't make it all the way to the top but i will share whatever pics i managed to get on my phone later. and yeah. my legs are killing me.

happy {early} sunday...L

ok--so this was another baby album i did for my sweet ex-next door neighbor ashley. she and her husband nick have the sweetest little girl and when i went to her baby shower i told her that A) she could have the top daughter honor spot for having a baby before brianne and B) brianne would be put on double-secret probation for not giving me the grandchild i so deserve and C) i would make her a baby album.

she had a baby and i finally got around to making the album this summer. oh--and she did have a lovely daughter which they named adelaide lou. is that not the cutest name for a girl? i want to re-name myself that. would anyone have a problem with it? i love it. and it is much better than the names taylor has picked out for her children. zaden, zaya and a few others i can't remember. anyhoo--at this point i will take a grandchild with any name. really, i'm that easy to please!

i never posted this album because it actually sat at my house for a month or more before i mailed it. so i didn't want to post pics until ashley actually saw it in person first. so ashley couldn't see it first on my blog and think--that album sucks and then a month later get it in the mail and discover it was hers. but i think she likes it. she has to email me pics of it when she fills it up though.

going for a hike up granite mountain tomorrow. i have been for a 5K walk the last two mornings so i'm hoping i can make it to the top...L

happy birthday and an acrylic album.

happy birthday to lisa. not me. there is another lisa in my life. dallas' girlfriend. she is 21 today. i have never met her. but she is lovely to talk to on the phone. and she's going to marry my son so she gets points for taking him off my hands and trying to civilize him. good luck with that. so happy birthday from your future mother-in-law and future grandmother of your beautiful children--all eight of them! LOL and this card will be in the mail shortly!

next up is the acrylic album i made for the class i will be teaching in november at my lss. it was fun and i used some pics of my girlfriend that just had her baby. yeah, she didn't like the pic of her. but hey--it's a newborn hospital pic and you are supposed to look drunk. anyway that was my first acrylic album to do and i had fun with it. hopefully it will be fun to teach as well.

and now i am out of here with a million other things to do...L

some more of the roger's family. and they are done and in the mail today maddy!! all in all they turned out really cute considering we had hurricane type winds that day. not much else going on here--kids are all back in school, no interviews for any jobs yet and a list a mile long of things i need to do. but first, a walk this morning...L

8 things tag. only i'm gonna make mine 7. cuz it's my favorite number and it's my blog. and i can do whatever the hell i want. ha ha

kaelene posted this on her blog and i thought it was cool. and i have ABSOLUTELY NOTHING ELSE TO DO. yeah, right.

7 things...

7 current obsessions--

1) photoshop
2) eating healthy
3) reading
4) looking for a job
5) learning
6) trying to sleep
7) finding balance in my life

7 phrases i use often

1) shoot me now
2) there you go
3) kill, kill all the men
4) bloody hell
5) it is what it is
6) ____ it (you can fill in the blank!) ha ha
7) be the change agent

7 things i want to do before i die

1) be a grandma--why is this so difficult??
2) make a soufflé
3) hike down the grand canyon
4) make a quilt
5) learn to knit
6) go hangliding
7) did i already mention grandma??

7 things i've learned from my past

1) hell, i haven't learned anything!
2) i'm strong
3) life is short
4) kids grow up
5) and don't give you grandchildren
6) it's not the destination, it's the journey
7) what doesn't kill you makes you stronger

7 places i would love to go or see

1) italy
2) south of france
3) london
4) turkey
5) austria
6) switzerland
7) ireland

7 things i currently need or want

1) grandbaby
2) a job
3) a clean house
4) new shoes
5) cold weather
6) more time
7) sleep

so there you go. 7 random, tongue-in-cheek, mostly true answers. have a great weekend everyone...L

no pictures. sorry maddy. just some funny happenings around here. and i haven't been high on the funny scale lately. but brianne sent me an old email that i laughed about. and my kids have been funny lately. and this is where i remind myself about it and "get it down on paper."

so sunday i gave a lesson in primary (i teach haley's class) on making wise choices. so the whole lesson was on wise and foolish choices. it made an impression on haley because since then she has made it a point to let me know who in the family is making foolish choices. taylor not sharing her rice krispie treat--foolish choice. so last night she came in and said "mom, remember about the lesson in primary was?" (i totally understand this) i said "yes, about the wise and foolish choices" haley immediately answers "yes, foolish--that is what choice anna just made!" ha ha

later that evening as i am getting haley in bed i scoop her up in my arms and ask her "why do i love you so much?" and she answers--because i'm your baby. "oh yes, you're my baby. but why else do i love you?" and she says--because i am your peanut-ness. she melts me. this child could seriously be the worst behaved, most self-centered, stinky-acting child in the world. cuz she seriously gets the "baby-of-the-family" treatment. but no, she's just too stinking cute and sweet.

oh yeah. another hot topic lately. politics. brianne and i have had some fun political talks lately. and i love to discuss them with her. because really--we pretty much diverge into separate political arenas but we can discuss things like mature adults. and she was telling me of a woman who went into her bishop for an interview and the bishop asked her "do you choose the right?" and the woman answered "of course, i'm a republican!" ha ha i did think that was funny. SO, SO WRONG. but funny. and i have a lot of republicans in my family. gail, i know you're reading this! ha ha and all of my side of the family is republican. and my two oldest children. but i'm happy to say that if you ask any one of my girls here at home whom they are voting for--you will get an OBAMA answer! excpet once in a while anna will yell out "mcCain" and start laughing. we do talk about politics here and what the propositions are and what they mean. but my kids know they can make up their own minds about what they think is the right choice. even though they can't vote yet i think it is good to get discussions going about the issues at hand.

one other funny thing. i have been applying for some jobs online and found out that U-Haul is hiring here. so i applied online and they had a few "tests" that they run you through. and i know it's been a while since i have been out there in the work field or applied for anything. but really, is it that bad? i think all of the test questions had to do with drinking, drugs, stealing and fighting. yes, fighting. How often do you fight? do you enjoy watching others fight? how often have you had to fight someone? have you ever wanted to hit someone? ok--well if i'm being honest then yes, i have wanted to hit someone! then the drinking questions--do you A) drink while on the job B) while driving C) just before going to work. i was wondering how i could choose all of the above! ha ha
then the drug questions. now i understand this. but they had drug names on there that even I did not recognize. poppers, crank, snow, tranks, bennies, opium, crack and other assorted illegal substances were on there. do people admit to this? does u-haul have a problem with hiring cage fighters hopped up on tranks and poppers drinking at work? if so i should have no problem getting a job...L

and p.s.--make a wise decision and vote obama!!!

a few more pictures of the rogers clan. i think some of them were even glancing in my direction when i took the pictures. ha ha

i went to the church employment specialist tonight. anna and haley went with me. we were discussing the lack of employment right now. i told him i was looking for something like a receptionist, M-F, and that ideally i wanted something i could do while the girls were in school. me and a million others he said. he named some places that were hiring and gave me some information on resumés, how to apply for jobs, etc.

i'm thinking i should hand out my own information when applying for a job. something along the lines like--hey, i know you are hiring me for a job--i am a hard worker. but i don't like people telling me what to do all the time. so if you could just give me a list of my responsibilities and then like, skidaddle i think i'm your man. and try not to interrupt me during the day. i don't like that. and if my responsibilities change you can just email me. cuz i'm not too hip on the whole talky-talk thing. dave and brianne said that the only job that would totally be up my alley is on a weigh station on mars. i could be up there all by myself. come back to earth once a month and not have to deal with anyone. last time i checked, mars is not hiring...L

oh yeah--a couple of funny things happened with the employment specialist. he told anna that she looked like someone with her glasses. anna is like, who? he tells her--you look like sarah palin. dude. you so didn't just tell this obama votin' momma her daughter looks like palin. ha ha it cracked me up. and then when he is reading off the list of jobs available he says someone is looking for a nanny. anna is all--mom could you be a nanny? um, anna--i am a nanny. i just don't get paid at this gig! LOL

i had a photo shoot this weekend. maddy and dustin and the kids came up to prescott this weekend. they came in thursday night and hung out for a while and let their kids play with anna and haley. the next morning we went to their hotel and let the kids swim in a heated pool. that afternoon we went to take some pictures. it was a little windy. to put it mildly. but we had fun and i got some pictures and then we ate dessert! all in all a nice day. so i am working on the pictures maddy...L

my big exciting news. i have been asked by the scrapbook den to be their guest teacher in november. and the above goodies are what they gave me to create with. FUN! there is an acrylic album, yummy felt, theresa collins paper, stamps, chipboard. i have no idea what i am going to do yet but i can't wait to play with it this weekend...L

if michelle isn't dead yet...

here are a few more...L

photo shoot with the meisenbach (sp?) kids. wow. what awesome kids. and beautiful too. seriously. they were so cute and fun to work with. and carson has a crush on noah. she was looking at the pictures on my computer and was like "whoaahhhh--who is that and how old is he?" yeah, he's as nice and cool a kid as he is cute too. and the girls--sarah and kate. so sweet and just darling. kate wouldn't let go of the lip gloss. sarah is a doll. michelle--you are one lucky momma.

so yes, i am working on the photos. these are just a few. hope you like them...L

guess who turned nine this last week. my little anna banana. sweetest child around. love her to pieces. she makes me laugh. she always has a smile on her face. she takes her time to make decisions. she likes to sneak soda. she can make nachos on her own. she still holds my hand. she has a tender heart. i love her to pieces.

our little family is having some troubles. please keep us in your prayers. i have hope, i have faith and i have love. but most of all i trust in God...L

Love Train

I saw this on my friend kaelene's blog--and i had to do it cuz i'm all about the ipod.
1. Put your iPod on shuffle.
2. For each question, press the next button to get your answer.
3. You must write that song name down no matter how silly it sounds.


IF SOMEONE SAYS "IS THIS OKAY" YOU SAY?
The needle and the damage done
HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE YOURSELF?
Sweet soul sister
HOW DO YOU FEEL TODAY?
windlblown
WHAT IS YOUR LIFE'S PURPOSE?
talk of the town
WHAT DO YOUR PARENTS THINK OF YOU?
These are the days of our lives
WHAT DO YOU OFTEN THINK ABOUT?
caress me down
WHAT DO YOU THINK OF THE PERSON YOU LOVE?
Barbie girl
WHAT IS YOUR LIFE STORY?
the one I love
WHAT DO YOU WANT TO BE WHEN YOU GROW UP?
lose my breath
WHAT DO YOU THINK WHEN YOU SEE THE PERSON YOU LOVE?
I’m free
WHAT WILL THEY PLAY AT YOUR FUNERAL?
so real
WHAT IS YOUR BIGGEST FEAR?
invisible sun
WHAT IS YOUR BIGGEST SECRET?
how deep is your love
WHAT DO YOU THINK OF YOUR FRIENDS?
what a day that was
WHAT DID YOU SEE OUT YOUR WINDOW TODAY?
highway to hell
WHAT MOTIVATES YOU?
rock and roll ain’t noise pollution
WHAT DO YOU DREAM ABOUT?
whole day off
HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE YOUR HIGH SCHOOL YEARS?
star
WHAT ARE YOUR HOPES FOR THE FUTURE?
spiritwalker
HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE THE WAY YOU LOOK?
sober
WHAT IS THE PURPOSE OF YOUR BLOG?
Sometimes you can’t make it on your own
WHAT GOAL ARE YOU CURRENTLY WORKING ON?
crazy
WHAT WILL THE TITLE OF THIS POST BE?
love train

ok--so it made me laugh. really hard. for lots of reasons. but i think the thing that made the most sense was what my fear is. an invisible sun. could anything be scarier? not unless the invisible sun was really, really close. and hot. and invisible.
happy wednesday...L