Christmas 2009 pictures

It is only March and I finally downloaded and uploaded my Christmas pictures. Enjoy!

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Competitive Reece

Last night was skype night. I laughed so hard at Jill's story of Reece.

After begging to go bowling Jill took her children bowling. At the end of the game, Abby beat Reece by one point. Oh the drama. Reece wouldn't leave the bowling alley. He sprawled himself across the lane and wouldn't move until Jill would say that he won. Of course he didn't, the score didn't lie but he wouldn't let it be. "Tell me I won," he pleaded. Now, I can imagine Abby standing there with a grin on her face that says "Nee Ner Nee Ner Nee Ner," but innocently acting like "I don't know what his problem is. What is mom going to do about this?" Anyway, Jill did get him into the car but still, more drama. "They should shut down every bowling alley. It is an awful game." etc. etc. Now, later on that week he had a birthday party that was a bowling party that he was okay going to. If he lost there, it would be okay. But to lose to Abby and maybe Trevor, well, that is just WRONG!

She had another story previously, after Christmas. I gave Trevor Monopoly for Christmas. So they had a family night where they played it together. Reece did not think he was winning. I guess he bought so many houses that he was low on funds and panicked. In his panic he brought on the drama. "I am not playing this game. This is the dumbest game ever! We should take it back to Aunt Sally!" While he was throwing this fit, Jill realized that he passed 'go' and didn't get his $200. She told him that he actually had $200 more dollars that he should have had. Well, that changed his tone immediately and he calmed down and started playing again. I don't know that he won. You know how monopoly is, does it ever end?

Jill, if you are reading this, I would love to have it in your own words and any other examples. You tell it so much better. Your kids are hilarious.

Yeast Free Cooking class

I went to a cooking class this week on yeast free cooking. They had 7 recipes that they made and had us try. What a great idea. Yeast Free eating is really so hard to do and they had awesome recipes to help you enjoy it. I joined their e-mail group. If you want to find out more, here is their blog:

http://www.drhotze.com/Wellness-Community/Blogs/Dr-Hotzes-Blog.aspx

Nikki in a dream

Well, so much for blogging again, eh?

Well, this may be out of order but I didn't want to let it go till I was "ready" to post it, or else I would forget it. I don't want to forget it so this is as good of a place as any to remember it with. Nothing spectacular, but a sweet moment that I don't want to let go of.

I had a dream with Nikki in it.

I went to bed last night with the fear of forgetting to do something the next morning. That part was real. I was awake in my dream, although, I didn't realize it was dream until I actually did wake up, later.

So in my dream I was looking for what I feared I would forget the night before. I was looking in the garage, talking to myself about how could I possibly loose this thing, which I put away so carefully. From behind me I heard Nikki telling me about how she had lost something that she couldn't believe she had lost also. I can't remember what it was she lost, though. I turned as she was talking and there she was talking to me in the flesh. She smiled, her beautiful, sweet smile as she talked to me in her sweet, innocent voice. I remember being blown away to see her but I didn't flinch. I didn't want to make a big deal about it and kept on as if everything were normal. I continued to look and looked in the car. I came back in the garage. Mom was sitting on the bench (I don't really have a bench in my garage). Nikki was looking around a pyramid shaped shelving unit in the middle of the north carport for whatever I was looking for. (I don't really have a pyramid shaped shelving unit either). I sat down on the bench next to mom and wanted to say something about Nikki but thought it would jinx it so I still acted normal. Nikki slowly circled the pyramid shaped shelf looking for whatever. I sat there as she slowly passed right before me and couldn't believe how real and 3-dimensional she looked. I wanted to reach out and touch her but I feared I wouldn't feel anything and shuttered. I didn't want to jinx it either so I just acted normal. Then the dream was over.


I had another dream with her in it a couple weeks ago, but it was just a quick blip of her. We were on a school bus, I guess it was a school bus, and it was moving. Nikki was playing patti-cake with someone on the bus. She was grown up, not a child. She was next to a window, with the background in the window moving, facing the back while playing patti-cake. I didn't see who she was playing with. It was very short but memorable.

Gearing up to blog again

Been a while since I last posted. I am not really going to post tonight. But starting to think about it. Check back later and see if I follow through. Things to talk about. Nikki, Halloween, famlily etc.

Stupid Things

Close Trevor, Reece, and Abby's eyes because I am about to write a bad work.
Stupid.

Stupid things I did yesterday.

#1) I was on my way to a wedding reception when I decided to check on my parent's house. When I went to get back into the car, the door was locked and the keys inside. I have no idea how the door got locked. I tried to play McGyver with a coat hanger, but failed miserably. So I had to call Jon to come and rescue me.

#2) While I was waiting for him to be my white and shining knight, I .....

Arthur -- the Aardvark

I love the show Arthur on PBS. It is well written and true to life. Arthur tends to imagine how something really happened. Well, I am guilty of being that person who worries too much.

On the 4th of July I left the fireworks warehouse around 10:15pm. On the same block, a little ways away, I saw a grass fire (probably from irresponsible fireworks participants, which I sold to). I knew it was being reported because I saw a tow truck driver standing there on his cell phone. I also knew the fire station was just a block away. Then I wondered if I should have turned around and told the fireworks warehouse people. I didn't.

The worry set in.

"The parking lot guy will see it and warn everyone."

"It has to get to the houses first before it will get to the fireworks warehouse."

"First responders will get there in time to let everyone know."
"It is so dry, it is going to spread fast."

These are the thoughts that went through my mind. Then, what if that isn't what happens...

"I hope those houses have well watered lawns to protect them from fire."
"The fire department is sure to be at another fire. It is Independence Day with a burn ban!"
"Certainly the fireworks warehouse people had been warned."
"What if they didn't get a warning?"
"I hope everyone is okay?"
"What if they aren't"
"There is a gas station right next to the fireworks warehouse."
"Not good."
"No more fireworks warehouse sales for us."
"Imagine the fireworks warehouse on fire."

So then I go to bed with these thoughts in the back of my mind.

"I wonder how big the fire is now."
"Do they have it under control?"
"Did it get the houses and the trees and the fireworks warehouse?"

As I lay there trying to get some zeeeees, I hear a helicopter go over my house, past 11:00. My imagination goes again. "It has to be a helicopter to help take out fires with." It came back about 15-20 minutes later. "Yep, that is probably one of those helicopters." I worry.

The next morning I woke up and went straight to the television to see the news. Nothing. Not a single story about a fire. I went to the internet to check the local news stories. Nothing. Later that day, I made an excuse to go that direction, just to look at ground zero of my worries. I saw the burned grass. The burned area was no greater than the area of grass I saw burning. Obviously the fire department got there soon after I passed by.

My worries? Needless.

My peace of mind? Priceless.