Little lizard on the wall

Just a little friend we see often. He's probably about 10-12 inches long and is often hanging out at our house.

We have our tickets!

We're coming back to Portland! I'm so excited. I fly in on Tuesday, October 7th and John flies in on Thursday, October 9th. We'll be there until Monday, October 13th when we go back to phoenix just in time for the NEW KIDS concert....

I really am excited...Hoorah!

Friday

I
Am
So
Glad
Its
Friday.

Phew....

The weekend is almost here.

Plus...did you know I've found the secret to weight loss?

She or He?

We found out the sex of our little alleykitten!

Visit BabyChucklehead to find out!
http://babychucklehead.blogspot.com/

Mixture of emotions

Today is just one of those days. After posting all about my excitement regarding boy bands I came across my cousin's blog that had this video and story...

There is a christian element to it as well as a familial love element to it...I couldn't help but watch it with tears streaming down my face and fall in love with this video...and this story...

THE STORY OF TEAM HOYT:
A son asked his father, 'Dad, will you take part in a marathon with me? The father who, despite having a heart condition, says 'Yes'. They went on to complete the marathon together.

Father and son went on to join other marathons, the father always saying 'Yes' to his son's request of going through the race together. One day, the son asked his father, 'Dad, let's join the Ironman together.' To which, his father said 'Yes' too.

Ironman is the toughest triathlon ever.The race encompasses three endurance events of a 2.4 mile (3.86kilometer) ocean swim, followed by a 112 mile (180.2 kilometer) bike ride, and ending with a 26.2 mile (42.195 kilometer) marathon along the coast of the Big Island.

Watch the video as Father and son complete the race together.


Follow-up story:
The real life story of Team Hoyt: Father (Dick Hoyt) and son (Rick Hoyt) have joined many marathons, triathlons and other athletic competitions. But, what makes them really different from others is that Rick suffers from cerebral palsy - a condition involving permanent tightening of the muscles caused by damage to the brain during the time of birth. Rick was disabled at birth by a loss of oxygen to his brain because his umbilical cord was wrapped around his neck.

Here are some of proud achievements of Team Hoyt:

216 Triathlons, 6 Ironman distances
20 Duathlons
65 Marathons, 25 Boston Marathons
They have also biked and ran across the USA in 1992 with a total of 3,735 miles in 45 consecutive days.

This year, 2008, Dick Hoyt and Rick Hoyt are going to be 68 and 48 years old. Finally, after so many years, Team Hoyt managed to raise public attitudes toward the physically and mentally challenged. Their best time, 2 hours 40 minutes in 1992 is merely 35 minutes from the world record. I mean, world record hold by someone who does not have to pull another man, cycle another man and push another man.

When Rick was asked about the thing he really wants to give his dad - “The thing I’d most like…is that my dad sit in the chair and I push him once.”

Boy Band Craze

Ok...while I haven't had a chance to really divulge this great news...its not been a secret. On October 13th I have tickets to see NEW KIDS ON THE BLOCK in concert in Phoenix, AZ. I am soooooo excited. Also, they came out with their new CD...The Block and it rocks my socks. **note how that all rhymed**

Furthermore...closet new kid fans are just crawling out of the woodwork. A bunch of my MySpace pals have admitted to be fans, my HUSBAND has admitted to liking a few of their songs, people in general are slowly coming around to see the light.

New Kids Rock!

So, if you run out to the store to get your new CD...make sure its the one with the blue cover which has 4 EXTRA songs and a DVD. Its totally worth it.

And October 13th...you can just sit in jealous awe as I rock out to the best boy band ever with a 33-week pregnant belly.

We're still trying to come up with an appropriate shirt for me to wear. I'm going to make my own t-shirt...John suggested, "I've got the right stuff." Others like the "newest kid on the block" theme and then a close friend suggested, "Donnie's love child." HA HA HA!

Any ideas???? Buhler? Buhler?

Vegas baby!

I'm in Las Vegas right now...yeah...yeah...not supposed to travel and all that, but I needed to take this one last trip for work.

The plane ride(s) were good...except the flight attendant sat right behind me on the first leg to Phoenix and used about 7 different soaps and/or lotions during the 35 minute flight and it was making me GAG. Every time she touched something she went to wash her hands and she had all these little soap things in her uniform pocket...talk about obsessive compulsive disorder. Then because she washed her hands a new lotion bottle would come out and she'd lotion up her hands and arms and then pat her face with it. I really wanted to barf by the end of the flight.

Other than that nastiness....I've enjoyed my time here in Vegas so far. I get to see my dear old friend from Switzerland, Ilaria and family tonight and tomorrow I'm meeting on of my stepmom friends from an online forum I belong to...

Home on Wednesday...short trip...just the way a Vegas experience should be.

Welcome Savannah!

Hoorah! My oldest sister had her 4th baby on Friday at 2:51 EST. Savannah Marie Day was 7 pounds 10 oz and 19 1/2 inches long. Both mama and baby are doing just fine.

CONGRATULATIONS DAY FAMILY!!!

This is new baby #1 of 2008. Emma is due in November and I'm due December 1st to make three new baby cousins for 2008.

Is it any wonder?

Yours truly got the distinguished award of being Portland, Oregon's number 1 New Kids on the Block fan....

OK...truth be told...I was co-awarded this great honor along with my best friend from high school Miss Athena because we created a huge NKOTB Newspaper for a contest the Z100 Radio Station was having.

Most of you know that I was an especially dedicated fan to Mr. Donnie Wahlberg...(be still my beating heart) Yes, I am talking about the older Wahlberg boy...not Marky Mark, the Calvin Klein undies model (although Marky certainly does hold his own certain "appeal"...as in YUMMY), but the man of my teen dreams was Donnie...the "bad boy" of the hottest boy band ever.

I was just looking through some old photos and had to laugh...is it any wonder I fell for the man I did?

What do you think?

Its all about strategery.

So they say McCain either just killed his presidential campaign or made a bold move that will win it for him. I had never hear of Ms Palin from Alaska until today...so I thought I'd find out just a little about her before making my mind up what I think...

From Time News...just a little info on the republican ticket VP...

-Palin is the first woman on a Republican ticket (Do I smell Hillary voter appeal?)
-She's a fresh face to counteract Obama's message of change
-She's about as far outside the Beltway as you can get (Alaska is its own beltway)
-A child of the middle class with a friendly face and big hair, she is so affable that she once won Miss Congeniality in a beauty pageant. (and she has a "dishy" husband.)
-Her son is about to deploy to Iraq. (Love a military family)
-She's an ice fisherman, a moose hunter, a small business owner and a lifetime NRA member. (Diverse interests...:))
-She's risen to power by battling corruption in her own state's Republican establishment, exposing misconduct by the state GOP chairman and challenging the incumbent GOP governor. (Go SHE-RA! Defender of good...fighter of evil)
-She's a committed Christian who's pro-life in practice as well as in theory; she recently gave birth to a son that she knew would have Down Syndrome. (A strong woman)

So far...I like her. I'm impressed with what I read and I'll be very very interested to watch the election coverage this year.

If I lived in the old west...

I don't think I would have been a saloon girl.



I think I would have gone more for the cowgirl experience...riding and roping and shooting my 6-shooter.

Fitting my belly into that corset was pretty funny.

Recycle!

Oh dear fellow blog readers. If you live in a town that has recycling...rejoice!

After much trial and error I have learned that in Sierra Vista, AZ the only items that can be recycled are aluminum cans, magazines and newspapers.

No paper
No glass
No plastic

I remember a cartoon my mom sent me when I was in college of a mother standing outside her kitchen door. Two little boys are looking up at her and she says, "No, Billy. You can't play with Roger. His mother doesn't compost."

Having grown up in a composting-recycling family it just kills me to toss this stuff in the garbage knowing that its headed straight to a landfill.

Funny how important something like recycling is when you no longer have the option!

Those were the days...

And if you so desire check out these fab photos my sissy posted to wish me a happy birthday. I must say...where did those days when riding the lawn mower around the neighborhood was good fun go?

http://cothranfamily.blogspot.com/2008/08/happy-birthday-anna-8-23-08.html

Happy Birthday to me!

I had such a great weekend. Saturday, I turned the big 3-5! It wasn't as traumatic as I thought becoming a mid-30's girl...probably because of this pregnancy. They refer to me as "old" all the time since the baby will be born after my 35th birthday so therefore I'm an "older" mom. **sigh** Something I'll have to get used to.

John planned a day in Old Tucson with a couple that we met here in Sierra Vista, John and Chris. They are both from Florida, going through the interrogator courses that my John is finishing up and just found out they are getting deployed in January to Iraq! That really messed up their wedding plans for next April so they have decided to get hitched in October in Vegas....Oh I wish I could go! :)

John and Chris practicing the "getting hitched" pose in Old Tucson.

Even though it was incredibly hot and sunny we spent most of the day walking around Old Tucson. This is where they filmed a lot of the old western movies...including the Three Amigos, which just happens to be a favorite of mine...


John and I demonstrating our three amigos hip thrust in front of the last remaining piece of the set...

We took a train ride, rode on the carousel, painted southwestern tiles, watched a stunt show, fed steers, took an old western photo, enjoyed the CanCan girls, ate BBQ and were exhausted by the afternoon. I really had a wonderful day!

Going Home!

I'm so excited to go home today. I have enjoyed Illinois. I spent some interesting time here in Urbana...they have a haunted hotel. I didn't stay in it, but some of my coworkers did the last time they did a round of seminars. Apparently a bride hung herself in the hotel on her wedding night and ever since then its been haunted. Spooky eh?

Laugh of the day...

I couldn't help myself. It just made me giggle.

Sunrise in Illinois

I spent some time walking along the Illinois river...the Peoria Riverwalk last night. It was beautiful...very calming for my heart and soul.

Today I was out the door this morning driving to the next city by 6AM and had a chance to see the green fields folded in morning mist and an absolutely incredible sunrise...which brought back the peace of last nights riverwalk experience.

I couldn't help but start thinking about a Frederick George Scott poem that I've always loved....

Sunrise

O rising Sun, so fair and gay,
What are you bringing me, I pray,
Of sorrow or of joy to-day?

You look as if you meant to please,
Reclining in your gorgeous ease
Behind the bare-branched apple-trees.

The world is rich and bright, as though
The pillows where your head is low
Had lit the fields of driven snow.

The hoar-frost on the window turns
Into a wood of giant ferns
Where some great conflagration burns.

And all my children comes again
As lightsome and as free from stain
As those frost-pictures on the pane.

I would that I could mount on high
And meet you, Sun--that you and I
Had to ourselves the whole wide sky.

But here my poor soul has to stay,
So tell me, rising Sun, I pray,
What are you bringing me to-day?

What shall this busy brain have thought,
What shall these hands and feet have wrought,
What sorrows shall the hours have brought,

Before thy brilliant course is run,
Before this new-born day is done,
Before you set, O rising Sun?

Frederick George Scott

Peoria, IL

Today I leave for Peoria, IL. I am going for work purposes, but when going to a new city I like to get a feel for where it is I'm headed. Here is what I found out about Peoria...

1. National Geographic has named it the "next great American adventure town!"
2. They are big baseball fans...the Peoria Chiefs
3. They have a beautiful riverfront area and the carnival is going to be there the same time I am! :)
4. Weather right now is mid 80's with 60% humidity
5. Its the 1/2 way point between Chicago and St. Louis.
6. Named after the Peoria tribe
7. Headquarters for Caterpillar Inc
8. Famous natives include:
Gary Richrath — guitarist from REO Speedwagon
Richard Pryor — comedian and actor
Susan G. Komen — namesake of Susan G. Komen for the Cure
Wayne A. Downing — Four-star general in the United States Army
Curly "Boo" Johnson — Harlem Globetrotter
Dan "Too Tall" Knapp — Brother of former NBA player Manute Bol and owner of Taco Johns
9. Famous for the saying: "Will It Play In Peoria?" On the Vaudeville circuit, it was said that if an act would succeed in Peoria, it would work anywhere.

In shock

Well, we heard back and the announcement will be made today that our Oregon contract will not be renewed. I'm in total shock. They said they were extremely happy with what we provided...not displeased in any way and if they wanted to maintain the program as is they would have kept us.

Instead they decided it was time to try a different direction.

I have mixed emotions...shock, nervousness...I'm in much better shape than most of my Portland people...I transferred my work load to other projects because of my move with John, but everyone else is possibly out of a job come December. And who knows...after my maternity leave...will there still be work for me?

I really never ever in a million years thought that would happen. I don't think anyone else did either. My big boss was in disbelief. Of course the company gave us the party line about finding other work, maintaining the office, etc, but I think when reality sets in we'll see a few people beefing up their resume because I can't imagine they can keep all of us.

Gaaaaaaah...

Happy Birthday Mama!

Mother....

You filled my days with rainbow lights,
Fairytales and sweet dream nights,
A kiss to wipe away my tears,
Gingerbread to ease my fears.
You gave the gift of life to me
And then in love, you set me free.
I thank you for your tender care,
For deep warm hugs and being there.

I hope that when you think of me
A part of you
You'll always see....

- Author Unknown.