Saw this little friend at the zoo

Love the zoo... Love this little guy... 1 yr old Galapagos Tortise hatched right at the Phoenix zoo. 

Batteling a sinus infection stinks. 

Otherwise life is going well... Scrapbooking tons... And spending a ton of money on it lol. 

On my desk

Today on my desk- Burt's Bees cuticle cream and pans for lunch/ dinner...

Lots of overtime lately making it hard to cook lol... I enjoy panda so it's good to have some now and again. 

Shine on

Shine on... Different than one day at a time ... Different than surviving. I'm ready to start shining. 

Life is good

The driveway

The driveway on this fine Monday morning :) wore flip flops to the car so I didn't get my shoes muddy lol 

Started documenting a week in my life today ... Ali Edwards runs this little project...it's my first time and I'm excited 

Scrapbooking my childhood memories

That's the theme of this years Big Picture Festival... I'm enjoying the prompts and the hunting on the Internet for pics... I should have taken pics of my lunch box etc.. But who knew ? Yesterday we talked about commercials ...I remember this from my childhood but who knew so many would still say it ( or the opposite.. This is not Burger King ) today :) 

Dude.

Dude came into our family during the whole "Dude, Where's My Car" movie era. Joel named him Dude. Dude was also Joel's favorite word at the time, so the poor dog always thought Joel was calling him.

One day, after Joel moved out, Dude got out of the yard. I walked up and down my street calling his name, not thinking of how that sounded. " Dude, Dude, Dude...where are you?" ;/ My neighbor even came out to help figure out just which Dude was missing lol.

He is getting up in years now ( almost 13 ) and its just him and me now. Joel and Josh have gone off into the world and Mocha is no longer with us. Most times I am home you will find him at my feet. Not really at my feet, but on them.

This night I was off from work and gave him a beef soup bone. He loves them. I took a few pictures of him with my iphone4 and made a collage w/ frametastic. I've been taking a little class about phone photography and apps...its been fun.

in other news, I ordered myself a Ninja Crockpot. This name got laughs from a cashier at sprouts this past week lol. I have used it twice now and I must say I am quite impressed. I love the whole brown the meat in the same pot you are going to slow cook in feature, and today the chicken I made when from the stovetop to the oven feature. Its a gabillion degrees right now, so it was pretty awesome not to have the actual stove and oven heating up my kitchen.

Brothers. 1998. Skateboarding. Desert West Skateboard Plaza. Relaxing after a morning of trying not to fall down. Josh sees a huge bug on the wall-Joel does not care.

I loved summers. I was a teacher back then, so I was off when they were off. We were not on a year round school or any such schedule. We had plenty of time to relax, and explore hobbies. We usually went one or two mornings to the park, one morning to the library, and one or two mornings to Ben Franklin Crafts for a kids craft. We went home mid day, relaxed/napped/watched some TV. Afternoons were spent at sports practices, games, or with friends.

I feel incredibly lucky that I was able to do this. That my kids were able to do this. Not every child/family is able to. I can look back now, and even though I struggled to make it at times, I am so very glad that I wanted this for them, and did it. No regrets.

August 1998. The boys and I took off to California, to visit the beach and Sea World. We drove, and made a lot of pit stops along the way. I remember thinking "My dad would never allow that" lol...My dads favorite thing in life is to "make good time". It is of the utmost importance, more important than the trip itself.

Anyway, of course we had a really good time. Of course we got sunburned. Of course the boys loved Sea World, but they really liked down time at the hotel and our time at the beach even more.

One thing I will never forget is sitting in the stands at Sea World for a show, crowded as heck, and we got splashed. Josh got a lot of water on his face, and it started a nosebleed. ( his allergies w/ the combination of the force of the water) We ended up having to get up and miss that one show, but there were plenty to come.

I recently started digitizing all my APS film. It has been a fun treat to come across these wonderful memories again.

I know you have trust issues...

I was told this, last week. I know you have trust issues with me...but I don't understand why you think I'm lying.

I don't actually have trust issues. You have lying issues.

End. of. story.

"half full"

I was watching Becker one morning. In the show, Dr. Becker gets shot, taken to the hospital. He is complaining about everything. I think to myself, I realize he just got shot, but geez really? Everything is not horrible.

Then, his secretary Linda comes to visit. She tells Margret " He is so lucky, people are bringing him meals, taking care of his needs etc". Margret, with an exasperated look on her face says " LINDA- HE WAS SHOT!!!" and Linda says "oh...yeah"

I remember thinking, I need to be more like Linda. Not forgetting if people get shot of course lol, but in seeing the good in even bad situations.

I am currently going through what I consider to be a bad situation, and I am having a very difficult time seeing the good in the situation.

The actual thing that happened didn't exactly happen to me, it was a call I took at work, that was particularly difficult. I had a physical reaction to the call, which is very unusual for me. I reported that to my supervisor.

I reported it again, and again and again. And even again. I eventually sought help on my own, even though we have 2 fabulous programs through my employer. No one was listening, and I was struggling. The more I said I needed help, the less they listened. Until I finally lost it lol.

But then, it was kinda too late. All of the people who have "done me wrong" have apologized. They recognize the error in their judgement. I want to not be upset, but I am. Because I am still upset, they are mad.

I want to "Linda" this situation. People have more awareness now. People have examined their protocol. People have apologized. I felt alone w/ this call, when in reality I was never alone in the first place. People believe I am strong and can handle this ( and any ) situation. Apperantly, although I am upset, this is true because I did handle it. I am strong.  I have spoken to coworkers that I have a lot of respect for, who have taken the time to describe me, to me. I have really enjoyed hearing how they see me, as a person/employee.

But for right now, I am still Lisa. I have seen people pull together for other coworkers, when they have taken what I perceive to be lesser calls. I have seen the entire department pull together for them. I feel less than. They did not have to handle it alone. I did. Even though I spoke and spoke and yelled and yelled I still had to handle it.

As a woman of faith I just have to try to believe that everything, this call, its outcome, happen for a reason.

Parsons' Family Restaurant. We ate there as a family lots of times. It was our usual Sunday brunch spot. Usually Papa and Uncle Shawn would join us. We ate their for their Friday Fish Fry most Fridays also. Sometimes my parents would join us. Once, even my Grandpa was visiting from Wisconsin, during lent. So off we went to Parsons. They knew us by name. We knew them by name. My boys have no memory of this restaurant. We have some plans of going to visit Glendale, and visit some of the places I used to take them as kids.
Also on the list will be Dazzos, La Rosa if it is still open, and a good walk around downtown Glendale.

Spring Festival of the Arts 2013 :)

The boys and I have been going to the festival of the arts for a few years now. We love to look at all the artists and their unique art, but this year the focus was on food lol. We had funnel cakes, chicken on a stick, and lunch was Fatburgers. We love to go on Fridays, because they put a fried egg on your burger w/o charge. This year they forgot to waive the charge for the egg, so they gave us extra fries. Let's just say when we left, the burgers were not the only things feeling fat ;)

So I am taking this online class, One Little Word, and this was the assignment. I needed to make a "vision board". I decided to dust off some of the canvas that I had purchased when it was all the rage, and never got to making anything with. I had so much fun making it. I am planning to make two more, but w/ paint instead of magazine images. I am much less nervous now to work w/ the canvas than before.

I recently went to Missouri City Tx for a work training. Missouri City is a suburb of Houston. I was so excited to go. During the week, I had some time to visit the Houston Zoo. It was so different than the Phoenix Zoo. One of the animals, this creature in the above picture, really caught my eye. Very unusual lol... Another thing that was really different was their elephant exhibit. They had both adults and babies in the exhibit and just seemed to have a lot of freedom in their exhibit. It was neat to watch. I was really glad to be home. My dad and kids took turns dog/house sitting. Lisa

Last month we had training at work. It included learning about one of the helicopter companies we frequently use. We were told at the beginning of the week that we would have the opportunity to fly in the helicopter. I wanted nothing to do w/ that whatsoever. We go, have some lunch, watch a little presentation and then its time...who wants to go...So groups of two go...I think three before me. Then somewhere...out of nowhere...I asked the other chicken in the group...what if we just go? She was up for it, and so we did! I am proud of myself for having the courage to try something new, something uncomfortable. I got horribly "carsick" but I am really really glad that I went. I did it :)

Josh w/ me on his 22nd birthday

It's been awhile :)

 I think with the facination with facebook, lots of blogs have either gone away completely or like in my case, get updated a lot less frequently. I aim to change that in my case lol.

In January I signed up for Ali Edwards "One Little Word" class.

I have unfortunately become indecisive-almost paralyzed w/ fear of making the wrong decision. Therefore, I just keep doing whatever I have always done.


I have also put on more weight than I care to admit.

So, the word I chose was move. I want to move out of my house, and I have finally ( through months of not making up my mind ) decided that I want to move to Tempe. I also want to move my body a little more, then a little more, and hopefully a little more after that.

This picture was taken in the lobby of the Tempe Chili's during the Tempe Festival of the Arts. There is no other place like Tempe, I think. I feel like I am being pulled there and am no longer going to fight that pull because of fear of making the wrong choice. I am going to use it to motivate me to move toward new/better/exciting things.

Move.

I needed a reminder today...and I found it

There’s no time for regrets. Life is too short for that. Do what you feel you need to do. Love the people around you. Love without having expectations. Give without expecting for anything in return - because that is the greatest gift a person can have.

People are unreasonable, illogical, and self-centered.
Love them anyway.

If you are kind, people may accuse you of selfish ulterior motives.
Be kind anyway.

If you are successful, you will win some false friends and true enemies.
Succeed anyway.

The good you do today will be forgotten tomorrow.
Be good anyway.

Honesty and frankness will make you vulnerable.
Be honest and frank anyway.

What you spend years building may be destroyed overnight.
Build anyway.

People need help, but may attack you if you try to help them.
Help them anyway.

In the final analysis, it is between you and God.
It was never between you and them anyway.

- Mother Theresa -

May

Sometime last month I learned how to make ricotta cheese from scratch...and I have been making it like there is no tomorrow and I can't get enough. I eat it in something almost daily lol... including this pizza. Yum.

So a few weeks after I got the hang of that I made home made yogurt. It is delicious. Waaaay yummier than anything you can buy, less expensive and healthier.

As I was poking around on the internet I found a blogger with a post title "Making your own cheese...Awesome or Amish" and I found that to be hysterical. (Sorry I can not find it again, and can not give her credit) I vote awesome-even though most of my friends already thought I was kinda nutty BEFORE I starting making my own cheese and yogurt lol.

I am pretty sure the people at the store think I have an infant or day care, with the amount of milk I am buying lol.

The boys are staying in Tempe this summer, still rooming together. Joel has one more semester left- I can not believe it. Josh is doing well-I am thrilled.

Today, I am making yogurt, finishing my housework and enjoying the quiet of my home. Lifetime movies are on the agenda for this afternoon and hopefully some scrapbooking, if I can get that room clean lol.

Have a peaceful day!