Goals....

While Brooklyn and his buddy, Bailey attended Transformers II on Sunday, I decided to get in a work out on my bike. It was a little warm, but not horribly hot. So, I took off with my helmet on. I got out of town (over the overpass for starters, which always has been a challenge for me in the past) and then to the highway. I got to riding and decided I thought I could make it to Berea. I almost quit a couple times, but I made it! Of course, then I had to ride back! But, I made it! I rode a bit over 20 miles total! I was proud of me....I couldn't do that at all last summer. So, even though I didn't win the "biggest loser contest", I have come a long way in the past few months! I was just proud to set that goal Sunday and stick to it, instead of turning back! I have to continue on and meeting new challenges. So, I may be bragging a bit, and that is not a desireable trait...but I just was excited to have met the goal I set! Now, back to being humble....and working on those darned state uploads at work today....today is D Day...the final day...and I guess I have the goal of getting those errors cleared that were generated when the assessment uploads got done on Friday....wish me luck!

Monday, Monday...

...wow, I haven't blogged. I haven't had thoughts. Hmmm. I have been keeping up on the blogs I read, and wonder how they come up with so many great things to write about. Maybe I'm having bloggers block?? Who knows? We have been keeping busy. It is such a busy time at work that I have been a bit, uh, overwhelmed, but it is all coming together. The evenings are spent spending time with Brooklyn and enjoying his company. He and I enjoy walking the dogs and bike riding. We put up the pool again in the back yard, so he has cooled off in there some too. I will post some photos soon. We had a nice weekend. It was hot, but not too bad. Sunday Brooklyn and his friend, Bailey attended the Sunday matinee...Transformers II. They said it was awesome, better than the first one, that you could tell right away how good it was, etc. etc...they had lots of comments!

Today was our eldest daughter, Chrissy's birthday! She is such a sweetheart...I hope she had a wonderful day.

Happy Birthday!

Happy Birthday to Chrissy! We love you so much! Hope you have a great birthday!

Uh Oh

I may be crabby, and I feel it coming:



Leo
July 23 - August 22 Wednesday, June 24
If you have to spend the day handling a variety of different obligations and responsibilities that you need to deal with, you might end up resenting the fact that you're not able to do what you really want today. And if you find yourself starting to feel a little irritable, be careful of a tendency to be a bit critical or sarcastic right now. And just accept the fact that you'll probably have to make a few sacrifices before the day is through.

Storms!

It seems that every night we have had some storms of some sort or another! Last night, I stayed up late working on some things for work, and right after my head hit the pillow (after 1 AM, I might add), the storm hit...and oh, my gosh, it was something! I think it was comparable to monsoons or something! Lots of trees, plants, etc, damaged, but luckily nothing major, at least that I know of....so hopefully not, anyway. But, the poor trees...this photo is from our local radio station site, KCOW Radio, and shows just one tree that was split. No hail this time, though! I stayed awake until a while after it all calmed down, so it was a very short night!

Happy Fathers' Day!

Happy Fathers Day!

Especially to my dad, whom I love so very, very much. He is just so special and I don't know what I would have done, and would do without him. When he married my mom, he not only married her, but me and my sister too. ]I am sure it was not easy raising us, and my other two sisters who came later. Raising four girls had to have many challenges, and he met them always. He is not only a great dad, but a great grandpa and a "great" great-grandpa!!! He has never been a "step" dad, he is my dad. Plain and Simple.

Thanks Dad, for everything! Words don't do enough justice to my feelings.

I love you!

Can you relate?

Update

As I mentioned, we drove my mother in law to Denver for doctor appointments last week. We had some really bad weather on the way going and coming home! We were lucky, though it was ahead of us both times, but on Wednesday, we did spend some time running from the hail and tornados!

A view of the clouds ahead of us on Wednesday

Hail on Roadway Near Minatare 6/10/09

It was not a good day to travel it seemed, but we actually didn't get any hail damage, and only dealt with the rain mostly. Whew!

Wow

We had to leave for a few days. We took my mom in law to Denver to some doctor appointments. It gave us time also to visit family. It was so good to see everyone. Now to catch up....

on house, work, and my blog...I'll get some ready to go tonight! OH, and yes, it rained there too, but at least not all day. I am really tired of dreary, rainy weather!

Sammy Sighs

Howdy!

It has been raining for days and days it seems. Mom is tired of the rain because we can't go on walks, she can't go on bike rides and Brooklyn can't go swimming.

I don't like it all that much either. Everytime Sissy and I need to go out to do our business we get wet. Sissy is especially hating it and sometimes Mom or Dad has to go out and stand in the rain and make sure she does what she is supposed to. Of course, I do what I need to like the good doggie that I am. Sissy is just silly.

I hope the sun comes out soon!

Movies

We rented and watched a couple movies lately. Brooklyn picked out Beverly Hills Chihuahua, which was amusing. We watched Marley and Me, which I had already seen, but loved. I like movies where you both laugh and cry, don't you? I mean, the other day Terms of Endearment was on and I actually watched (while doing other things) AGAIN!


We also watched Seven Pounds with Will Smith. It was great, very moving. He just seems to be doing some really great work. Who woulda thunk it? (Remember his tv show--Fresh Prince of BelAir????) Anyway, I think he is doing some good stuff.

Last night we watched The Curious Case of Benjamin Button. I'm not so sure on this, but I was so tired after a long day of working with the data reports, I kept falling asleep. I may try to watch it later on when it comes out on TV, but it just didn't move me.

This rainy weather, along with re-runs on TV has made for movie watching in the evenings!

What does this Mean???

Wow, I decided I could save a lot of time by using one of these:

Is that scary or what? I figure I can save quite a bit of time every morning by having this ready instead of dumping out my pills every day. Gosh, does that make me really old and decrepid?

Oh, my....

A Cold Wet Day

Saturday it was pretty nice, but it is cool and damp (and rains off and on) again today. Yesterday, we got to be out and about riding bikes and having fun, which was good. Brooklyn and Grandpa went to the car show, too. Today has been too cold! Brooklyn said it was a good day for chili, so that is what I have in the pot. I made some cinnamon rolls as well. To pass some time, we attempted to again play the Wii with Brooklyn. I bowled a 191! Wow for me! Ha.

Here are some photos of our Wii Games!

Another view on the bike...

There are babies up at Laing Lake. I loved watching the little ducks and geese swim along after their mothers! So cute (or adorable, as Brooklyn says).

Since Sunday, it has been pretty rainy and cool out. So, not much bike riding has been going on. I did ride on Monday to exercise class, as I posted earlier.

We did get to go on a walk a couple evenings, and it turned out to be very pleasant out. It is just very cool and damp weather right now!

First Peek at the Iris

You may remember last year our bike rides through the Iris Farm ?? They were so beautiful and we rode through there quite often. Brooklyn and I rode through on Sunday, and they are just starting to bloom. I can't wait until they are all in full bloom again!


For more photos, you can view the Summer Fun 2009 album.

Rain, Rain & Other Random Thoughts

So, it is raining. It is not raining hard yet today, but it sure did rain last night. I had to go out and dump out some planters. It is cool out, so that means no swimming again today for Brooklyn and Bailey. So far, it's been 3 out of 3 days of no swimming. But, there'll be plenty of time, I am sure. Brooklyn is spending his days at Bailey's house while I am working, and Baileys' older brother is in charge! They had a great time yesterday! I won't have to work on Fridays most of the time, so that will give us extra time together as well!

I rode my bike to exercise class last night, and got home just in time before the rain really started. I got sprinkled on, and the thunder and lightning was going on, but I made it fine.

This weather makes me s-l-e-e-p-y. I got up to do a morning walk/run yesterday, so I think I was just tired anyway...ha.

I am busy busy at work with my end of year uploads and all that jazz, and it is taxing on my brain. On top of that, there are meetings going on in the training room (right outside of my door) so I have to close my door and escape at least SOME of the noise....and they are hot, so they have the air on. Well, I think it ALL blows in here. I shut my vent, but even then, I was so cold yesterday that I could barely type. So, I started up a little space heater. Sad, huh? Today I wore socks and shoes, so that should help. No sandals today.

Have a great day, I'm done rambling.....

Hurt Feelings?

I wish that I could take people's hurt away. I have a friend who has hurt feelings, maybe not because of something I did or didn't do, but because of something that was said about me. I feel badly that she doesn't realize what a wonderful person she is and how important she is to so many, many people. She is terrific in so countless ways. I admire her in more ways than she will ever know, she is smart and funny and always looks just right. I can talk to her about anything and she'll listen. She doesn't make me feel tacky or stupid. She lifts me up when I need it. She knows just the perfect thing to say. She is well respected by all the people she works with and knows, even across the state and other states. She is so special...I feel like a dud beside her, and yet, she never realizes that. But, it is the truth, and I just want her to know how much I love her.

If I were Hobbes, she'd be my Calvin. She knows who she is...so Hey, You...I love ya!

He's back....

Brooklyn is back for the summer! We met his mom on Saturday. He brought along his "Wii" and so Saturday night he showed us how to play some, and we were, well, pretty terrible.

Sunday we got in our first shared bike ride of the season. He also got to play with his buddy, Bailey, and later we walked the dogs. We had a great day.

I hope he has fun staying with us this summer!