For the love of dog.......

I need to vent. But I will start out telling you about my love for MY dog, little Neiko. This may be the only way I will convince some of 'yall that I DO love dogs. Certain dogs. (kidding....I think). Anyway, I love my little neikie. He is such a good little boy. He has his moments, but he truly HATES to get in trouble, so if he ever get's punished for something, he makes a note of it, and doesn't do it again. He has been having a hard time in the snow and the cold. He hates going outside in the cold. I can't blame him, he is so small that just the chill alone probably takes his body temp down 40 points in like, two minutes. And his short little legs don't help him out AT ALL in the deep snow. We have been shoveling out a small area behind our house so he can go back there and do his "business", so that we can't see yucky old marks in the snow in front of our house. I HATE seeing yellow snow anywhere, but we make it a point not to let Neiko go in front of the house, so we don't have to see it, and no one else does either. So, on that note, here is my gripe.

My neighbor got a room-mate. He seems nice enough, but here is the problem. He has a bigger dog, something like a lab. Right when he moved in our neighbor told him that dogs are not allowed to run wild up here. Most people up here have electric fences. He obviously didn't hear it, or he just chose not to. So, as I pull up in my drive-way I get greeted by a dog. Not MY dog, because he is in the house keeping warm, but the "room-mates" dog. It follows me up my driveway and greets me while I get out of my car in my garage. I am not a fan of this. I actually despise this. Now, don't think I'm going over the top here, but I don't want another persons dog to come greet me in MY garage as I pull up. I don't even want MY dog to do this. This dog also likes to do his business in our front yard. Now that there is snow in our yard, it is a bit more obvious. I went out to get the paper today and I literally got nauseous as I looked at this HUGE yellow mark in the snow beside my driveway. I know for a fact it was NOT my dog, because the spot was actually 2 times bigger than he is. What a wonderful way to greet guests as they come to our house. NOT. This makes me sick. So, you are probably wondering if we have done anything about our "problem". Well, Joe mentioned to our neighbor that her roommates dog likes to frequent our property, and that we didn't like it. So, about an hour later, there was a knock on our door, and when Joe opened it, the roommate was there. Here is a condensed version of the conversation they had.

Roommate: I was told that my dog has been on your property. I just want to assure you that my dog is a nice dog.

Joe: OK.

Roommate: I am sure once you get to know my dog you will realize he is harmless, and he is a good dog.

Joe: OK. But that is not our complaint. I am sure your dog is a good dog, but we would appreciate it if you would not let it run on our property.

Roommate: How about we all get together for about an hour and a half, and we can all train my dog. He is not aware that you guys don't like dogs, so when you get home, he just likes to come over and say hi. If we all trained the dog, he would realize that you don't like him, and this problem will be solved.

Joe: We are NOT going to meet with you and train your dog. We don't have time, and we don't feel like it. All we want is for you to keep your dog off our property.

Roommate: Well, I am really busy and I can't keep my dog off your property. This is why I moved to the country. I don't have time to watch my dog, and since you are also a busy man, I am sure you will understand that.

Joe: No, I don't understand. I am also busy. But when my dog goes outside I go with it. He does what he needs to do, then he comes inside with me.

Roommate: Well, that is just crazy. You can't expect me to stay outside with my dog. But again, let's get together, it will only take an hour and a half, and all of this will be solved.

Joe: Maybe you didn't hear me. Just keep your dog off my property. We are NOT interested in training your dog. Just keep him off my property.

Roommate: Sir, you are just being unreasonable. There is no other way to solve this problem. Once you all realize my dog is nice, you won't mind if he is on your property....

This conversation went on for 30 minutes, it got a bit more heated, and I think it ended by Joe slamming the door in his face. Anyway, the dog still frequents our property. And I really don't think the roommate knows what 'unreasonable' means, but Joe is really close to showing him.

Any tips about how to solve this problem kindly??? We are up for suggestions. Oh, and don't even begin to say by training it, because it's not gonna happen!

Snow fall....

Here is how it looked off my deck yesterday.....


Here it is today. And it's still falling. I think we got about 18 inches last night......

2 favorite things about today....

The fresh falling snow.......

My decorated Christmas tree........

Fun in Seattle......

We drove to Seattle for a long weekend to attend our third and final Christmas party for Joe's work. Thank gosh we are done with those. Not that they weren't fun, but I am tuckered out!!!! My mom and Danielle tagged along for the ride, and for the hotel, and pool, and shopping, and sight seeing!!!!
We went to the Space needle, we explored the Pacific Science Center, we went to the mall, and we shopped at local downtown stores. A fun time was had by all........

This one is my mom and Danielle at the top of the Space Needle....


This one is also at the science center, in the "Butterfly Room". There were hundreds of butterflies, and they actually land on you. It's really cool.

This one is Danielle at the science center. She didn't shrink, she is in a big table set.... :-)

My 10 year old.

What? Did I say TEN??? Oh my gosh, how time flies. It is really scary to me when I think about how fast these last ten years have gone by. If the next eight go by half this fast I will be in bad shape. Let's just hope that when the day comes for miss D to go out on her own, I better have some really strong medication on the bed-stand. Or I know I am really going to be in-for-it.
So, in these awesome last ten years I have learned so much from my little one. I have learned that I could always use more patience, that I shouldn't sweat the small stuff, that Joe and I are succeeding in our roles as parents, that we have been blessed with a kind, well-rounded, sharp, caring, humble, funny, bright, sweet and respectful little girl. And we could have never asked for more. She is truly the light of our lives, and we look at her with such pride and admiration that it is truly amazing. Our hard work and dedication is paying off, and we are seeing the results right in front of our eyes. But we can't begin to take all of the credit for it, because SHE has chosen to be the outstanding young lady that she is. Thank you Danielle, for giving your daddy and I such a great gift. YOU.
We love you!!!

Mmmmmm, Turkey!!!

I woke up in a cold sweat this morning, after dreaming that it was Thanksgiving TODAY, and I didn't have the turkey thawed out, and I wondered what the hell I was going to do because it had to be in the oven in a few hours. Yikes. I was in a panic. I had no clue how I was going to bake a frozen turkey, and I thought my wonderful day was ruined. BUT........thank goodness it was just a dream. So, I am going to do a top seven of what I am thankful for this Thanksgiving, and #1 is that I still have one more day left to thaw my yummy turkey. Here is the rest...

#2 I thank my lucky stars every single day that Danielle has weathered this transition well. Moving to a new house is always tough, especially when she lived in our other home for her whole life. How does a new home compare to an old, familiar, comforting, and favorite old one? We have come to realize that it doesn't, but is a "good" different, as she will always love her "other" home, but she has transitioned perfectly. Much better than we would have ever imagined. Who knew that Danielle was stronger than her mother? Believe me, she is.

#3 I am SOOOOO greatful that I have a wonderful husband that goes to work every single day just to make our lives better. It is actually really humbling to think about how much he does for us every single day. Thank you so much honey, I love you!!!

#4 I thankful for the wonderful view I see every time I look out our windows. Joe made my dreams come true when he bought us this house, and I truly think we will never move again. This is where we want to be.

#5 We are so blessed this year with good health. For the most part, our whole family has been very healthy this year. No major illnesses to speak of. What a wonderful gift!!

#6 I am greatful for our family. Though I wish some of us could get together more often, we truly are lucky to live in an area where most of us live no more than an hour apart, and we can see each other pretty regularly. I really do wish for more of a close-ness with certain members of our family, and hopefully we can all turn a new leaf as the new year approaches, but for the most part we are on the right track.

#7 I thank God every day that we are lucky enough to be living in a warm home, driving reliable cars and eating food that is plentiful. As the economy is falling, we are more aware of the number of families that don't have these "luxuries". This year we will continue our tradition of giving to local charities in need.

Anyway, Happy Thanksgiving to all of you, I hope you will be with your family tomorrow, and after dinner you will be miserably full. Like me.

Construction.....

I am sitting here on my computer, listening to the sweet sounds of the contractor tearing a wall out downstairs. Normally, I would be annoyed by the loud bang's and pound's, but it is music to my ears. It's just one step closer to a finished first level. Yeah!!!! So, I need to get on the phone with the carpet guys, so they can come measure and get us on their schedule. The wall should be removed and ready to go by late this week. Hooray!!! The picture I posted has a line in the middle of the room on the floor, and that is where the wall used to be. They need to put up a beam and a post as it is a bearing wall....but the room already looks HUGE, compared to two little rooms seperated by a wall.

Veterans Day.....

Yesterday was veterans day, and it is a tradition at Danielle's school to have an assembly to honor those who have served our great country. My mom and I got ready and drove to the school to attend this service. Little did I know that the songs the children sang,..(Proud to be an American, My country ti's of thee..etc), and the slide show followed by music would bring us to tears. I think alot of it was that there were veterans standing all around us and there were children who attend school there that actually have parents that are currently serving our country in Iraq. As we speak! It just really brought it home for me. For US, I should say. Anyway, it was an awesome assembly, the kids worked really hard to make it special, and they succeeded! Thanks for the hard work guys!!! And thanks to all the men and women who have served and are currently serving our country!!

Back to Normal......

Oh it feels good to be home. Nothing is better than sitting in my living room, watching the news and drinking coffee I brewed MYSELF. Oh, the "perks" of being home.....(no pun intended....lol)

We did have a great time in Vegas. It was awesome while it lasted, but we are sick of living like "high-rollers". Landing in Spokane yesterday afternoon never felt so good. I couldn't wait till I got some true "home-cookin'". We spent 5 days eating at many high priced restaurants in Vegas.........Emeril Lagasse's restaurant, a super spendy steak-house, a 5 star restaurant at the top of the Stratosphere that actually spins around while you eat...(not fast, thank god). But let me tell you, I really prefer my OWN cooking. I know, that sounds terrible, and especially since I do NOT claim to be a good cook......but I just like regular stuff. I mean, in these restaurants you can't get anything "normal". I mean, who wants to go to a restaurant to eat pheasant, venison, rabbit, and who knows what else. ( half the time I couldn't even understand the menu....).

It was a great experience though. I loved rolling up to a spendy place in a limo. It made me feel like a star for a day. Oh, and the suite we stayed in......beautiful view, in a five star resort. Loved it. Except for the fact that they don't have coffee pots in the rooms. I realized it's because they want you to go downstairs and pay $7.00 for a cup of freshly brewed stuff. But I swear I am drinking my own freshly brewed coffee this morning in my own house for like 10 cents a cup. I can't tell the difference????

So, we went to the Cirque show called "O". It was awesome. Truly awesome. Most of the show was set in the water, as the stage miraculously comes and goes, and a huge pool of water appears where the stage was for the majority of the show. I can't explain how great it was. So much fun.

One night we went to a comedy/variety show with Wayne Brady. (you know, the guy on "whose line is it anyway".....It was awesome too. We were in the front row, and we got to participate in the show a bit. Joe's boss performed the role of Randy in American Idol, I was Paula (and I don't know if I was quite drunk enough to play her very well....lol..), and Joe got to be good old Simon. It was so much fun. And in the end we got to go back stage and get our pictures taken with him, and we all got autographs. I made sure to get one for Danielle, and he happily wrote a comment for her....."Danielle......Where were you? Take care sweetie, Wayne Brady". It was sweet, and she was super happy to get it.

So, enough about our Vegas trip.......I haven't been able to post about the election. I must say that last Tuesday night I broke down in tears when Obama was declared the President elect. It really just hit me that only years ago, African Americans were not even ABLE to vote, and now Obama will be our next president. It was just really emotional for me. I hope this can do wonders for race relations in our country, and I hope we can mend our broken foreign relations in other countries also. So, I wasn't just jubilant that he was voted into office, it really was bitter sweet to me. Very emotional. Joe was looking at me like..."why the hell are you crying??". :-)

Anyway, I better go and check my email, my space and face book sites, and get back into the swing of "regular" life. Have a great week everyone!!!!! Oh, and here are some pics.......
Here is one pic of our suite...

Here is a pic of me and Wayne. (we are tight.....let me tell ya...lol Oh, and is he smaller than I thought, or am I just bigger than I thought?? )

This is the view from our suite...

This is a pic from the strip....

This is our hotel.....

Happy Carving.....

Here is the pumpkin that danielle made tonight. Isn't it cute??? We found the example on google and we thought it was cute. There is the haunted house with the moon in the background. And we added the ghosts. It looks super cute outside and lit up, let me tell ya!!! Now we are cookin' the pumpkin seeds for Joe. Happy Early Halloween everyone!!!!!

MOVING......by Danielle

Danielle wrote a story at school. When she brought it home, I looked at the title and got this sick feeling in my stomach, but when I read it, I was a bit relieved. Here it is.....


MOVING......by Danielle

When I moved I felt sad and worried. I felt sad because I might not see some of my friends again. I was worried because I might not make alot of friends at my new school. I had alot of friends at my old school. Last year I went to Mullan Trail Elementary in Post Falls. In first grade I had Mrs. James. In second grade I had Mrs. Holt. In third grade I had Mrs. Teston. Now I have Mrs. Storlie. Our music teacher was Mrs. Clark, our librarian was Mrs. Owens, our music teacher was Mrs. Clark, our PE teacher was Mr. Hirsch and our principal was Mrs. Surrat.

I used to live in Prairie Falls Golf Course. Now I live in Hauser Lake Heights. There weren't very many kids in my old neighborhood. Now there's more kids in my new neighborhood. There wasn't very many things to do, but you could see if someone could come over. You could go for a walk, play in your back yard and that's about all. Now you can go for a walk, you could see if someone could come over, explore the woods, make a fort or you can go swimming at the lake.

I still miss my old house and my old school. But I still like my new school, and new house.

I guess I need to get out a bit more.......

I was volunteering at Danielle's school yesterday, and besides reading with the kids, I had to go make copies for Mrs. Storlie. So, I have used a copy machine before, lots, but when she told me what to do with the copies, I was a bit confused. So, I went down to the office and thought I could probably act like I knew what I was doing and continue on. But I kept looking at the note Mrs. Storlie gave me and I just didn't understand. It said......."copy page 27, 28, 29, and 30 back to back and stapled". Ok, I know how to copy back to back but what the heck is she talking about with "stapled". I mean, there were 90 copies times 2 sheets which was 180 pages stapled together.....this could take me awhile. I could be here WAY after school gets out. So, I showed the office lady the note, and I asked her what it meant, and she walks over to the copier, and she presses a button that says staple, and then she chooses where the staple should be located and she said..."You are set". OK. So I fed 4 sheets of paper in the copy machine, and wouldn't you know it, they came out as 2 pages, front and back, and stapled on the left hand side. Done.
I'm still trying to figure out how a person fits inside the copy machine and staples all the pages together.......

A great bible verse......

Jesus looked up and saw the rich putting their gifts into the offering box, and he saw a poor widow put in two small copper coins. And he said, “Truly, I tell you, this poor widow has put in more than all of them. For they all contributed out of their abundance, but she out of her poverty put in all she had to live on.”

—Luke 21:1-4

Sharing some fall pics from my front porch......

Should I be nervous???

Danielle, my mom and I went to a new church in Rathdrum. One a bit closer to home than the one we went to on occasion in Post Falls. We had a great experience, and we signed up for the Chili Feed they are having this Saturday, so it should be fun.
Well, Pastor Bloom called yesterday and talked to Joe while I was gone. Joe told him that I should be home this morning, so he could call and talk to me then.

So, the phone rang this morning, and it was Pastor Bloom. We got to talking for awhile, and then he asked me if it would be alright for him to stop by on Saturday. Sure, I replied. So we set up a time, and wrapped up the call.

Here's the thing.....I feel kinda nervous about this. I really have no idea why, but some of it may be that I have never had a Pastor over to MY house. I mean, when I was little, and we NEVER missed church on Sunday, and my mom was SUPER involved with our church, we had the occasional visit from the Pastor. But since I have been out of my parents house and into my own, I have not had the pleasure of an official visit. So, it got me thinking. Since this is a new house to us, we don't have a ton of things on the walls. In my old house, I had crosses, Thomas Kinkade prints with bible verses on them, etc. Well, I think that stuff must still be hiding out in a box somewhere, because I can't find it. So, I am feeling like I need to either find it, or have Danielle color some pretty crosses so we can tack them up all over the walls or something. Yikes. I mean, I do realize that he isn't going to judge us by what is or isn't on the walls, but it just makes me feel a bit nervous. I mean, should I lay my bible out on the table so it looks like I read it EVERY evening? Even though I don't get around to it quite that often......(forgive me, Jesus). I don't know why I am feeling a bit insecure about it right now. I will probably just give in and explain my insecurities to him, and I know he will understand. But I think I would feel better about this if I new what to expect from the visit.

So, if any of you have experience with this, fill me in. Because it seems to be that when the Pastor used to show up at my childhood home, it was always because there had been a death, or sickness, or something going on with our family that we needed his guidance with. Maybe I just don't realize we need guidance now??? Anyway, I am sure I will get over these feelings....I hope. Wish me luck!!

Enough about politics........

Let's start talking about the REAL controversy!!! You know, the issues that REALLY matter!! And if you are wondering what these issues are I will fill you in. THE MYSTERY OF THE SHRINKING HALLOWEEN CANDY. Has anyone else noticed that the size of the "fun size" candy isn't even fun anymore? It is NOT even CLOSE to fun. Every single year the Halloween candy gets smaller and smaller. Do they think we don't notice?? The Reese's peanut butter cups are shrinking. They are thinner and not as wide. How dare they?? Here is the best example I have seen this year......you know the "smartees" that used to come in a see-through roll with like 15 candies total?? Well, this year they have re-packaged them. How Smart......They are now in a small paper wrapper and that looks like a Sweet Tart wrapper. (you know, the sweet tarts have like 3 in a wrapper..) So, the Smartees went from like 15 candies in a roll to their new package with 3 total candies. What a rip-off. This is just ridiculous. I guess in a way if you look at the good side, we won't be consuming as much candy as we previously did....because there is LESS candy per package. But I don't really feel like having the candy companies put me on a diet that I haven't signed up for. Because I just feel like I am getting ripped off here. So, this year, I vow to eat MORE packages of candy just to make up for it. I'll show them!!!

We've been BOO'd

I love this neighborhood. Danielle and I were so surprised on Saturday when we opened the front door and a suspicious package was sitting on the door mat. What is it? We wondered. Upon closer examination we realized it was some sort of Halloween package. It included Halloween stickers, glow sticks, candy, a colorful spooky cup, cool creepy straws, a spider that "grows" in water, a hand towel with cute candy corn on it, a red skeleton that lights up, and a letter. We read the letter and realized that the package was from someone in our neighborhood. It turns out, this is kind-of like a "chain letter", but better....
Someone in the neighborhood starts this by purchasing 2 "goodie bags". Then they attach a letter that explains the process to the bags and then place them on thier fellow neighbor's doorsteps without being seen. The neighbor that receives the "bag" then tapes a print out of a pumpkin on their door (so that everyone knows they have already received one) and makes 2 more goodie bags and places them on 2 other neighbors doors without being seen. Sound fun?? Well IT IS. Anyway, Danielle and I got a huge kick out of this, and every time we look at this "goodie bag" we smile. So, thanks to whoever it was that placed it on our door....we have already carried on the tradition by putting together two more bags and we will try to place them on some doorsteps without being caught.......hopefully. I put a picture of the goodie bag we received. Isn't it cute??

Six things......(thanks lyns...)

1. I am a real optimist. A pathetic one at times. I just truly believe everything will always work out. Joe sometimes thinks it is ridiculous, and often times he wants to strangle me. But I really think I NEED to feel this way just to make it through the hard times.

2. I LOVE living in the sticks. It just brings me closer to "peace". It is kind-of hard for me to explain, but when I am sitting up here on the top of this mountain, in front of my cozy fireplace, snowed in for days, I will be extremely HAPPY.

3. I never want to hear the word "fundamentals" again. Ever.

4. I should be a vegetarian. Just the thought of eating meat sometimes repulses me. But I LOVE the taste. I can't HELP but want to eat it. Although, my mom will be the first to tell ya, I used to have her come over early on Thanksgiving morning, and stuff and butter our turkey, put it in the bag and shove it in the oven before I caught a glimpse of it, so I would be able to eat it that afternoon. I just couldn't eat it if I saw that it looked like a bird without feathers. Unless I was extremely hungry, that is. :-)

5. I love to laugh. Some of you really might not know it....because it takes ALOT to make me laugh. I have never been a silly kind of person, and sometimes I am WAY too serious. Even as I drink I don't get silly. I LOVE good comedy shows, but I am very particular with them. Only certain people can make me truly laugh. And I have NEVER laughed until I cried. But I WANT to. I think I need to just let loose. The only place I know for sure I could crack up laughing is sitting in church on a Sunday. I have no idea why, but it used to drive my mom absolutely CRAZY. We'd be up in the front ready to take communion, and I couldn't stop laughing. Nearly spit out the wine. I think it was nerves. Please God, forgive me, for I have DEFINITELY sinned. :-/

6. I give the "homeless" guys on the street corner money. Even though Joe tells me not to. He believes they aren't "homeless". And I agree, some really aren't. We learned that when one of Danielle's friends informed us that her grandfather dressed up in "dirty" clothes and went and stood on the street corner to get a little extra cash. (her parents would DIE if they knew she said that...) So, I understand where Joe is coming from. BUT, if I have change with me, and I see one of those guys on the street corner....it's gone. Sorry honey.

Who Knew????

I can actually sew!!! Yes, I can.....(I think I can, I think I can...) :-)
Yesterday I bought a beginner sewing machine at Walley World. My moms machine is like 40 years old, and it quit on her a couple of months ago. So anyway, back in High School we all had to sew something to pass Home-ec. I HATED sewing. For some reason, every time I thought I was really starting to do well, I would get this huge knot of thread behind the needle and it was so hard to fix it. I absolutely hated it, but somehow I passed the class. And somehow, I actually sewed a pair of sweat pants. Hooray!!!


So, my mom let me borrow this wicker chair she has had forever, and it has cushions that were some flowery spring print. The spring print just HAD to go. It wouldn't even have come close to fitting in with my rustic theme. So, I got to work. I went and bought some awesome rustic fabric, I took the spring yucky fabric off, and I just pinned it as closely as I could. My mom helped me with threading the sewing machine, because I have absolutely no patience, then I started. I was sewing awyay like I had never sewed before, and then it was done. DONE. It wasn't even that bad. Anyway, I slipped my new covers on, and I was done. Here is the finished product. And I am also giving you a close up of the rustic fabric I bought. I am so proud of myself!! Time to start my next project.....a rustic quilt. Now that is gonna take awhile.....

I couldn't have said it better than this guy.....

There was this comment on the CDA press website this morning, about a letter to the editor. (not mine). This particular letter to the editor was one I see quite often, someone complaining about how much tax the top 1% of income earners have to pay, and how unfair it is, and yaddi yadda..... Anyway, I think this gentlemans comment about that letter was just genious. So I have to post it, and I know all of you may not agree, which is totally fine, it is just something that I couldn't have posted as well as he did......hopefully he doesn't mind my "stealing".

Here goes...

"Yes, the very rich pay more in taxes, in terms of raw dollar amount. But it affects them far, far less than those who do not make as much money.

Why? Because prices are fixed and do not operate as a percentage of income or net worth. A gallon of gas is going to cost you around $3.50, whether you have ninety-four squillion dollars and the gas is going into your 80-foot yacht, or whether you have thirty-two dollars to your name and the gas is going into your '87 Accord to get you to your $9/hr job.

It's a matter of what is left over after you pay those taxes. The rich are still going to have plenty left to live on, quite comfortably --- exactly because things cost the same for them as they do for the very poor. The poor are hit so much harder, proportionally, even if the percentage tax rate is exactly the same --- again, exactly because things cost the same for them as they do for the very rich.

So truly, the only fair way of going about it is to ask the rich --- who will still live very nicely indeed, thanks --- to bear a bit more of the shared burden, percentage-wise. The other alternative, I guess, would be to make prices correspond to percentages of income: if you make minimum wage, a gallon of milk costs .0033% of your monthly income, or $3.80; if you make $300K a year, a gallon of milk costs .0033% of your monthly income, or $82.50/gallon.

Which would you prefer?
posted by -Mahein"

Anyway, I thought it was really interesting. Now, don't get all freaked out....I don't really think the people who make 300K a year should pay $82.50 for a gallon of milk. But the whole idea really makes sense to me. He got me thinking, and I liked it.

The Masterpiece....

For those of you who are younger, and had Idaho History in the 4th grade, you may remember making these Idaho salt maps. I know that was the highlight of my 4th grade year....:-). Last week Danielle and I made the salt dough at home, and then she took it to school and formed it into the state of Idaho. After it dried, she painted it. I just fell in love with it, but she isn't too proud of it, she is kind-of a perfectionist if you will. The only issue I have with it is this......why in the heck did they have her paint it with Boise State colors?? Don't they know that is NOT acceptable. Gold and Black would have been MUCH better!!! :-) Go Vandals!!!

What's new?

Well, I have just gotta tell you, this new school thing for Danielle is really working out. She has met so many new friends, and she loves her teacher, they have an awesome reward program, and the extra-curricular activities there are awesome. Danielle just tried out for a part in a play called "Beauty and the Beast", and she got the part of the color guard. Just the part she wanted!!! So, she will perform in December, and I need to go to a meeting tonight at the school, but she was super excited. And her friend got the part of another color guard. So, they have a few lines, but I think mostly they will stand in front of the "castle" and at times they need to cross their flags together, then hold them straight up...etc. You get the picture, right??
So, guess who has an Ipod Touch? Not me........Danielle does. I know, she has every single gadget known to man I think. But she has been saving up her money, giving massages to grandma and mom and dad, doing chores, helping grandma paint furniture, etc. So, she really earned it. She was going to have to save for much longer, but when Joe was in Salt Lake last week he found a barely used one for like half the price of a new one, and so he bought it. It is actually really cool. The picture is great, and huge, and the sound is cool. We are just having fun downloading video's of the Jonas Brothers and Taylor Swift. It's really neat though. I might just sneak it away from her one day. Oh, and you can even download a full length movie!!!!
Well, fall is in full swing up here in Hauser Lake. The fall colors are coming out, it is COLD in the mornings, and the animals are moving around. Last week Danielle and I saw a HUGE bull moose in our front yard. It was just walking across the street, minding it's own business when Dani looked out the front window and she was like....."OH MY GOSH, LOOK AT THAT HUGE MOOSE!!!!" We were so surprised. And of course we continue to see the momma dear and her fawns. They are getting bigger, but still have their spots.
Well, I have got to go, I need to go get some groceries. Now that we live out here it isn't just a hop and a skip to the store anymore. But, it's ok...it keeps me home more often, and I have found that I really enjoy being "Couped Up". Have a great week everyone!!!

It's about time!!!

We finally broke down and bought Miss D new bedroom furniture. It looks SO NICE in her room, and she has so much more drawer space now!!! Wow. It was bitter sweet in a way though, because the furniture that she has had in her bedroom since she was like 2.....was furniture from a dear friend of mine. She gave it to Danielle because she had saved it since she was a girl, and planned to have it in her daughters bedroom (IF she had a daughter), but she was blessed with two BOYS. So, she gave it to Danielle, and we were so thankful, and we loved the furniture to death. Literally. In the end it was falling apart at the seams. We were no longer able to hold the drawers together. But the good part about that was......it was really used well. We will donate it and see if anyone else can mend it and use it again. Anyway, here are some pics of her bedroom transformation!!!

Here comes the rain........

Oh my gosh, I just couldn't help myself. I am getting so tired of reading letters to the editor that are full of non-truths, I am about ready to start pulling my hair out. So, instead of making myself BALD, I decided to write a letter back......here it is....


I am writing in response to the letter from George Peterson that was published in your paper on Sept 19th. I think it is great that any citizen can write to the paper and state their opinion. But one thing that bothers me is that in some instances, the opinions are not always supported by the facts, but they are supported by information that is just not true. I realize that whoever reads these letters probably figures this out, but for those of you who didn't....here are the facts......

On the issue that Mr. Peterson brought up about Obama raising taxes on the middle class.......Obama's plan in cuts for middle income taxpayers would increase rates ONLY for persons with family incomes above 250K, or individual incomes over 200K. Not individuals making 30K to 75K like Mr. Peterson stated.

On the issue of Capital gains that Mr. Peterson brought up...NEITHER Obama OR McCain propose any change in the current exemption for home sales which taxes profits of 500K or above for a couple and 250K and above for singles. This of course applies to homeowners that have lived in their home for at least 2 of the last 5 years. His claim of Obama changing the current exemption is just false.

If you are interested in researching the facts, a great website I have found is www.factcheck.org.

Hopefully this won't really tick "Mr. Peterson" off, but I just couldn't help myself....

Who has heard of Mystery Shoppers?

What is the definition of a "mystery shopper"? Here is the definition from the dictionary.....

Someone hired by a company to pose as a customer in order to evaluate the quality of its service.

I don't know if any of you are aware of this, but companies hire "mystery shoppers" on a regular basis as a tool to help them see how their employees are performing. I have been lucky enough to be on both sides of this topic. I worked in a place of business where I was "secretly" "shopped" by a mystery shopper on a regular basis, AND I have worked AS a mystery shopper. So, I feel like I have a bunch of experience on this topic.

So, when I worked at Lowe's, they were constantly trying to evaluate the performance of their employees by using mystery shoppers. It is actually kind-of freaky if you are the employee, because you don't have any idea when this is going to happen, or if the customer you just helped was "under cover" or just a regular everyday customer. The secret shopper will act like a normal customer, but they are paying attention to every single detail of their shopping experience with you. Kinda intimidating. So, after you have been "shopped", your employer will normally take you up to their office, and explain how it went. And every time they did this I was completely surprised, I had NO IDEA I was "shopped". So, I always passed with flying colors when it came to my attitude. I have always known that if I wanted to keep my job at Lowe's, I needed to make it a pleasant experience for my customer so that they would keep coming back!!! The only bad remarks I ever got by being secretly "shopped", was that I didn't do enough adding on to my sale. Which means, I sold them a lawn mower, and let them be on their happy way, instead of doing what the retailers want you to do....which is, sell them lawn bags, engine oil, a rake, fertilizer, a hose, EVERY single thing you can think of that will go along with a lawn mower. I always had trouble doing this. If my customer wanted just a lawn mower, so be it. So, as a salesman, I kinda failed on that end. Oops.

So, when I WAS the mystery shopper, I would go into a retail store, and the people who hired me would tell me how much I was to spend, what I needed to buy, who I needed to talk to, and to remember every single detail of the entire transaction from beginning to end. I had to ask all the right questions, so that the salesman would help me in the way I needed to be helped. Then I needed to write a long detailed report about every thing that happened. Was she nice? Was she clean? Was she happy? Did she seem irritated? Did she try to sell me more than what I needed? Did she act like she was too busy? Did she seem interested in what I asked her? What color was her hair? And I could go on and on. So I had to pay SUPER close attention to every little detail. So, I did this for a few months, and then as I got to thinking about it, I really wasn't sure I was cut out for it. I mean, I HAVE been on the employee side of this. I understand if they don't sell the whole entire store to me. I know sometimes you are busy with other customers and you have a hard time multi-tasking. So I stopped mystery shopping. I just had a really hard time disclosing all the bad parts of the employee's behavior. The one thing I didn't have a hard time with though, was understanding the need that employers have for getting top of the notch employees. Their company really depends on it. And they spend ALOT of money every year hiring these "mystery shoppers" that give them a great idea of who is doing a good job, and who really isn't cutting it. I really learned alot from both sides.

A quote I love....

The longer I live, the more I realize the impact of attitude on life.
Attitude, to me is more important than facts. It is more important than the past, than education, than money, than circumstances, than failures, than successes, than what other people think or say or do. It is more important than appearance, giftedness or skill. It will make or break a company ...a church ...a home. The remarkable thing is we have a choice everyday regarding the attitude we will embrace for that day. We cannot change our past ...we cannot change the fact that people will act in a certain way.
We cannot change the inevitable. The only thing we can do is play on the one string we have, and that is our attitude ...I am convinced that life is 10% what happens to me and 90% how I react to it. And so it is with you ...we are in charge of our attitudes.

-Charles Swindoll

I am ready for fall!!!

I just had to update my blog profile even though I may be jumping the gun a little. But, just the thought of entering into the season of fall makes me giddy!!! I LOVE the beautiful colors!!! AND, I haven't seen how pretty it looks around the lake in the fall. I can't wait to watch my view change right in front of my eyes. Happy (early) fall!!!!

Get a different job!!!

I don't know about all of you, but I am sick of going into businesses and having to deal with cranky employees. And I am talking about people who have jobs working in public service of some kind. I am so fed up that I have come close to letting these people know that they could get a different job where they don't have to work with the public on a regular basis. Something like a paper route. You would be up at 4 in the morning, when most people are still sleeping, and you wouldn't have to deal with the public face to face. Perfect.

My latest examples are these.....I went to the department of motor vehicles to change my address. I literally have done this task online whenever available, but with this particular address change, you have to go directly into the office. Well, after I informed the employee of what I needed to do, she proceeded to take a huge breath in, and then loudly let it out, in a way as if to say..." Gosh, what else do you want, a million dollars?". Come on lady, this is your job. This is part of your job description, to help the public with requests on a daily basis. I realize this lady may have been having a bad day but come-on....what is wrong with just doing YOUR JOB in a pleasant manner?

Another great example is restaurant workers. Waitresses in particular. I am pretty sure that their job description is to take hungry patron's orders. So why do they act irritated if you want your salad dressing on the side?? Is that too big of a deal? I didn't think so.

Now, I work with the public. I realize this can really be a challenge sometimes. I have dealt with the angry patron a time or two. I have even left my job in tears because of difficult patrons. I understand the frustration. But if you can't deal with it, get a different job. Oh, I know, you could assemble toys on an assembly line for a job.....then you wouldn't have to communicate with people who ask you a question. Unless of course, it's your boss. But there ARE other options out there. Look for them!!!!

The lady at my pharmacy is another example of an employee that needs to search for another job. I mean, it literally irritates her when someone goes up to the front desk and asks for their prescription. I mean, I have felt like apologizing to her that I even need a refill. "Sorry lady, but I need this filled so I can stay alive." Gosh. Get a different job.

Maybe they all need a refresher course in communication 101. Because even if they don't "say" they are irritated with you, if you are older than 2 you can tell by their body language that they wish you would drop off the face of the earth so they didn't' have to answer your simple question. What is the deal??
I really could go on and on with this, but I will spare you the other examples. But if any of you work with the public, do me a favor and just smile once in awhile. It's really not that bad.

"Oh what a feeling.......

we were dancing on the ceiling.....". Alright, I am exaggerating a bit. But........... my mom, Danielle and I drove down to Moscow to watch the Idaho Vandals football game and when we got there, we went to our "usual" place to sit, and who did we see?? My big brother, and his significant other. So we were really happy, because for some reason we rarely see each other, and out of the blue....there they were. AND we got to sit right next to each other. So, if that wasn't enough good stuff for the day......
The first down of the Vandals possession at the beginning of the game went something like this.......Quarterback to running back.....running back to end-zone. Done. We were on our feet, giving each other high fives, jumping up and down, singing the fight song, and smiling from ear to ear. It was a great day. AND, they won. Like 30 something to 14. Woo-Hoo!!!! I LOVE fall football!! Go VANDALS!!!

Like I said.....

Your Issue Profile: 68% Obama, 32% McCain

While it sounds like Obama is the choice for you, he's not a perfect match. You and John McCain actually share some of the same views. Whether this is news to your or not, you have some studying to do. Obama seems like he's the right fit, but it's an important issue might sway you over to McCain.

Should You Vote for Obama or McCain?

I KNEW John McCain Wanted my vote......

....but not so bad that he would "hire" a UNIVERSITY OF IDAHO alum to be his "running mate". (GO VANDALS) Wow. Impressive. I actually watched her tonight on the Republican National Convention. And I didn't mind it. I know, I think I may have gone temporarily mad or something......

Dang it all to heck if I could just agree with them on the issues I might be able to pencil in the republican circles on my ballet this fall......but don't get your hopes up....
;-)

Wow.

I can't believe tomorrow is the first day of school!!! The summer flew by, and I barely even feel like we had a break. Anyhoo....I just wanted to vent a bit about how nervous I am for Danielle, and state that she is really being a trooper about switching schools. So, keep your fingers crossed for me tomorrow.....I already need a beer to take the "edge" off. Gosh, I am feeling more anxiety then I did when she went to her first day of kindergarten. Go figure....
:-(

Here's what I think......

If I want to have rock hard abs and a kick a** body, I either have to quit eating frosted cupcakes or become an Olympic beach volleyball player. Neither of which are going to happen anytime soon.....

Does our hamster think he is getting anywhere by running in that wheel all night long, night after night? He is probably like...."Ohhhhh, I just know I am almost out of this damn cage.....just a couple more rounds in this wheel thing....". Pathetic. I actually feel bad for it anymore. Danielle still thinks it's cute. Go figure.

I think husbands brains are programmed to only listen to one quarter of what their wives are talking about.

Why would any family sign up to be on "Wife-Swap"? I mean, they HAVE to know that they will get paired up with a family that is their polar opposite. (Example: One redneck family travels and hunts crocodiles for fun AND food and the other is a wealthy conservative vegan family from Michigan that speaks five foreign languages.) Duhhhhh. This might not work out, people.

I need another cupcake.

What a relief!!!

Tax Relief....that is!!!! Our accountant is slow. Yes, I mean S-L-O-W. He JUST finished up our 2007 taxes. I wonder how many extensions he had to file for us?? I don't think I want to know. But, if you are wondering why Joe and I keep going to him year after year after year, even though we wait for months to get our taxes filed like normal people......it's because of the results!!! Now we have more money to shove into this house because of it's constant need of remodeling. It is coming along good....if you can disregard the last few months we have been lazy and enjoying the summer. Hopefully when Danielle gets back into school, Joe and I will get back to the "grind" with this house if you know what I mean. ORrrrr.....we could keep on living with an unfinished main level for the rest of our lives??? Hmmmmmmm. It IS something to think about it. But right now I must log off....I've gotta go watch this dumb reality show I am addicted to. (Wipe Out. If you need a good laugh, you have to check it out!!) See ya!!

....Jumping on the Obama bandwagon.....

Actually, I leaped over quite awhile ago. But I am just "coming out" today officially. If this blog is official.... ;-)
All of you know that I will vote Democratic for the election, and so when I realized there would not be a woman as our next president.....(bummer), I was still pleased with the other candidate. I have done quite a bit of research on his issues, and I believe he would be a great next president. We need a CHANGE, people.
There. You have my worthless two cents. :-)

Are we there yet?

It was ME who was saying that half way through our trek over the Hiawatha trail last week. (not the kids...) We went through a tunnel that was a mile and a half long!!!! It was mildly freaky!! The trail itself is over 15 miles long!! The trestles were super cool...and high...but the views were awesome!! My behind still hurts from the bike seat....but we had a great time. Thanks again to the Buers for making it an awesome weekend!!!

I'll tell you all my secrets!!!!

Check out my new blog!!!!
www.thriftstorechicks.blogspot.com

I am so proud of it!!! Oh, and if ya get a chance.....click on my ads. :-)

Look at what Danielle "spotted"...

...right in our back "yard". Like 15 feet away from our deck. It is a momma deer and it's spotted baby. I have NEVER seen a fawn this little. Or with this many spots. So, every day in the early evening we are all out on our deck searching for this adorable pair. We LOVE living in the woods!!!

Is there a "science" to fishing???

Joe and Danielle were fishing off the dock at the lake today as I was sitting in the sun at the lake enjoying the day. Danielle and Joe have TOTALLY different methods when it comes to fishing. Danielle doesn't have much patience, she is always in a hurry, she just wants to "catch a fish already!". Joe patiently waits, switches bait, re-casts and happily watches his bobber float. Joe selects his bait with a goal in mind, and he knows which bait works better for lake fish, river fish, etc, and he uses his experience wisely. Here is Danielle's way of selecting her bait. "Oooooohhhh, this one is pretty and fuzzy and cute and cuddly....". So, that's the one she puts on the end of her line. Guess who caught the fish? Yep. Miss D caught a cute little Sun Fish to go along with her cute little bait. It was a good day. :-)