Happy Birthday Royce!

This is my brother-in-law, Royce. Here are a few things that I like about him:

• funny, funny, funny
• easy-going
• patient
• sweet to my kids
• likes to wear the brown jacket
• he cleans
  

Royce is a family man and works hard to make sure the women in his life are well taken care of. He adores his daughter, Zoe, and she adores him.

Uh, honey...

Happy Birthday JLowe!

Meet my new golf partner...

So much to say, so little time... Jill will have to forgive me for this less than adequate post. I was VERY busy tonight (thanks for nothing) and did not get home until a little after 11 and still had to farm. At least she will know where she ranks!

Our story: Jill was hired last year to be our school counselor. I was part of the interview process and voted her as #2. I really, really wanted them to hire someone else; someone I knew I could boss around and wouldn't have to "train" because they already knew the job. The principal of LHS asked me if I would have any problems working so closely with a female (sometimes girls that work together get "catty") since I was used to being surrounded by boys. I told her that as long as "this person" didn't try and do my job or take over any of my responsibilities, I would be OK with it. Of course I was lying... I did not want my throne taken from me! Ha...

I am so happy they made the decision they did. Not only did I now have someone to sincerely and seriously help me out, someone to roll my eyes at (or with), and someone to support me, I met someone that would become one of my great friends, and in such a short amount of time.

Jill is an awesome woman. She is fun, level-headed, professional (mostly), and gives me free counseling! Ha... She has a couple of kids that she adores and we have a lot of things in common. Some days, I am just amazed... Everyday I am thankful...


This is what she does most of the day...
Yes, her feet are on the desk and yes, it is very dark in her office...

Holding our favorite staple in front of our favorite appliance in our favorite room.


Here we are being "catty".

Jill has many wonderful qualities but MY favorite is her ability to bring out the best in a person. I watch her work with difficult kids (and teachers) all day and she almost always stays positive and sunshiny. In the short time I have known her, she has changed my outlook on myself and my little world.
I can't thank her enough for this...

I look forward to many years of working together
and a lifetime friendship.

-Hey Jill, it's 12:22 AM and guess what? You've been sleeping for nearly 3 1/2 hours! :)

Uncle Ben

Who knew Uncle Ben was an old black dude?

Apparently, everyone but me...
Ahhh, 41 years old and still learning!

Happy Birthday Holly!

I met Holly a few years back through my sister-in-law, Leslee. We became instant friends... We see each other at least once a week during the summer and not much at all during the winter, but that is OK. Hopefully this year we get to spend more time together camping and four-wheeling!? Holly and I have a few things in common, mostly our love of golf and our love for our family. She has a couple of kids, Brayden and Karson, so she knows what it is like to be a mom of boys...

These are some things I like about Holly:

• she's fun to hang out with
• I can count on her to watch my back
  
• she can't count either!
  
• she isn't snooty
• she is an amazing mother
• she is creative and crafty
• she likes to blog
• she is down to earth
• she understands when I am having a bad round and doesn't try to make it better
• she is patient, in more ways than one

Cute family!

I hope Holly is having a great birthday and enjoying her trip to Disneyland... lucky!

Happy Birthday Dave!

Dave is an amazing friend, grandpa and husband; truly a family man.

Dave loves to golf. He makes the game look easy and fun and I have never met someone that can even throw his clubs like a professional!

Here are a couple of memories:

Dave and I were lucky enough one year to help out the Police Academy at BATC. We went in to do scenarios which allowed us to play crazy people the cops-in-training might someday have to deal with. I remember that in one scene, Dave was driving a car (fake) and I was banging on his window (fake). We were really hamming it up and having a good time. At the end of it, Dave came over and kissed me on the cheek and told me what an awesome "crazy" person I was.

When I first moved into my house, Dave made me a table to go in my back entrance way. He is an awesome woodworker and has made his wife a curio cabinet and headboard. They are beautiful!

Tonight, at his b-day party, I was helping his granddaughter, Zoe, look for her shoes. Marie thought they were in their bedroom. Silly me, I had forgotten he was getting ready for a meeting AND even though the bedroom door was shut, I walked in on him changing... Thankfully, he still had his shorts on! I was so embarrassed.

I couldn't have asked for a better dad-in-law. I love ya man...

Book Review - Black and Blue

This book is about a woman, who suffers from domestic violence, decides she has had enough and takes her son and vanishes.

Fran Benedetto is a nurse who lives in NYC and seems to be happily married to her husband Bobby. In reality, she is a victim of domestic violence. The book describes Fran escaping her situation by going underground and assuming a new identity. She takes her 11 year old son Robert with her and they try to start a new life.

I was able to feel the suspense on every page wondering if or when her husband would catch up with her and had a hard time putting it down until it was finished.

I look forward to reading another one of Anna's novels.