Sibling Sunday

This Sibling Sunday is bringing an end to vacation time for Daddy. As of tomorrow he has to return to work after being off since the 10th. Which means that tomorrow will be the first day that everyone will be out of the house and leave me with the feeling of things are just way to quite. I'm not to worried about it though because come 2:20 tomorrow afternoon when the oldest two get home, I'm sure the thought will go through my mind about "Just why was I thinking it was to quite?"

Tomorrow is also the last day of the month of March, which means yet another year of whirlwind birthdays are over! From here on out we pass them one at a time, and even the months that have several, they aren't all living under the roof of this house. So that means that I don't have to break the bank buying presents, which is a very good thing after this month.

In the land of siblings, we had a wonderful surprise happen this week with report cards coming home from the high school. Sweetpea had 1-A, 4-B's, and 1-C. Binky Sue had 1-A, 3-B's, and 2-C's. Which makes it the very first time that our Sweetpea had a better report card then our Binky Sue. It is also the first time in more years than I really care to count that the average grade was a B and not C's with D's. Last quarter I had told Sweetpea that I give up fighting her about her homework and her grades. That she either would do it and show everyone, or she wouldn't, but that I would no longer fight with her about all of it. After a couple of days she really didn't like the fact that I was no longer asking her if she had homework, and I was told that I was supposed to care about that stuff as Mom. To which I pointed out that I wasn't the only one that was supposed to care about it all. Sweetpea pointed out that she wasn't interested in being like Binky Sue with the good grades all the time because she just doesn't care that much about school. The whole thing is just long and went on for a few weeks, but the basic thought is that suddenly she wanted me to care about it all, and to point out to her just how very smart I believe she is and tell her that if she really wanted to she could have better grades without even working half as hard as Binky Sue. I guess after so many years of trying everything I could think of, I finally found the right thing to say, because this third quarter was like a dream! No phone calls from teachers about homework, no phone calls begging me for idea's about just how to get her to do anything! The final great was seeing the report card she handed me. I have never expected all A's, but I do expect them all to do their very best everyday, and if that very best is a D then so be it, as long as they can look me in the eye's and say they gave it their all. Sweetpea needed this one though, just to show her how very well she really can do with just a little bit of effort. Binky Sue was nice and didn't point out that her class load was 5 times more difficult this year, and cheered her younger sister on to doing it again for the final quarter. Sweetpea got to hear endless amounts of how proud we are of her for this one, and encouraging her to keep doing just what she did. Sweetpea is never going to like being told she has to prove to the teachers that she knows this stuff, but if we can get through the rest of her time in school without having to feel like I am engaged in a non stop battle with her, I'm going to be a very happy Mom. So a huge CONGRATULATIONS to my Sweetpea and her showing all of us just what she can do with just a little bit of effort!! Way to go my baby girl!! Way to go to both of my girls for their great report cards! This week should bring Little bugs home. Little bug is also doing much better after having a rough start to the week with a seizure last Sunday, and then having to spend the day at home on Monday.

Well, I have the feeling that I may be rambling on and on here with this entry. So time to close for now. I hope that everyone has had a wonderful weekend spent with those you love. I hope that the month of March has been one filled with good memory making times. I hope that this week brings good things to all.
Everyone take care, and once again this week keep family and friends who will be traveling in prayers.

I think I need a vacation!

Okay now that I have possibly fried my brain editing photo's that I got paid to take on the 12th, I'm very happy to declare that I'M DONE!! I'm pretty sure that the young man is going to be very happy with his portraits, and I'm just really happy to be done working on them. Just one more time of him having to come over and make his final choices on which one's he wants printed. I've enjoyed doing them, but with all the birthday's, the spring break and the vacation, I ended up doing a two day push to get through all of them just to play catch up with myself here.
The picture's on here tonight are more from the trip...I know you all are surprised that they aren't pictures of more rocks! Don't worry I still have several of those waiting to be posted. These are from the Cruiser's Cafe that we ate at. They seem to be good fill in pictures till I get around to the other right now. Since I didn't feel like eating that night, I spent my time moving things around the table to take pictures of them instead. Never let it be said that I don't know how to keep myself amused! Give me my camera and a table filled with stuff and I can entertain myself for hours! I think everyone was happy that I didn't demand to take pictures of their food though. When I took my Mom's glass of water she kind of had a look of "What in the world are you doing?" I'm sure if I had done the same with the plates of food I could have gotten yet another lecture that day.

I hope that everyone is having a wonderful weekend, and that tomorrow is another great day. Everyone take care!

Here Kitty, Kitty

I think I will skip posting anymore rock photo's for today and join in for the Feline Friday instead. To bad the cats are both still in a bad mood with me for being gone. I'm also very happy that the camera has zoom abilities or I would not have been able to get any picture of a cat here this afternoon. If I haven't mentioned before that it is a bad idea to make these cats mad, let me make it very clear right now...IT IS A VERY BAD IDEA TO MAKE THESE CATS MAD!! Since we got back there has been a lot of knocking things over done by Angel, and Eclipse has made it more than clear that she isn't happy about the fact that we dared to leave the house.(I won't mention just how...just know that it is a very gross thing that she does.)

Anyway, I was happy to see that Steve was back last week and trying to get all of the kitties to come back out of hiding! I am going to wait and see just where he puts the Feline Friday post, since he seems to be in the process of doing a new blog for pictures. Don't worry though, I will come back later tonight and add link over to his place.

I hope that the week has been good for everyone and the coming weekend is a wonderful one. Everyone take care!

Update: Just here to drop the link over to Steve's

Tired of pictures yet?

So, is everyone tired of reading about the Grand Canyon yet? Well then lucky for you this will be the last batch of pictures and last time I write about that part of the trip! I will move on to my next set of favorite rocks to post about. These pictures today are just the more personal one's. The first one was shot at Grand View Point, where the wind was blowing like crazy and chilling all of us. The temperatures up in the area had not climbed back up from the storm that had come through earlier in the week here in Arizona. I found it pretty cool to see the area with snow on the ground. We all could have lived without the strong winds though.
Lunch at the Shrine of the Ages, and Littlebug just having to stand in the piles of snow that were still laying on the ground. Even better were the huge piles of mud that we had to get around or through to get into the picnic area. It was a very pretty and quiet area though so perfect for our lunch break.
Another of my favorite picture of Daddy and his Sweetpea. I'm still trying to figure out how she didn't freeze sitting on the stone wall with the winds blowing so very much at the Grand View Point. I know that she had a strong hold on her sketch book the whole time she was sitting there. I also learned that my Mom will still call me by my whole name when I scare her to much here. There are areas that you can get a little further out past that stone wall, and being the daredevil that I am when it comes to taking pictures, I went around it to get some other shots. I got to hear from behind me my whole named called out and was told to get back on solid ground! To which in true child form I looked back over my shoulder and told Mom that I was fine and she shouldn't worry. I also found out that even at 38 years old, when you do finally get back on solid ground, my Mom will still smack me for not listening to her and lecture me about not doing things like that.

Finally part of the whole group at one of the Desert View Drive lookout areas having tons of fun just being wild really. I think it was here that they started talking about wanting to spit over the edge and how many bounces do you think it would take to get to the bottom of the canyon.

Okay, I'm now done posting about the Grand Canyon and all it's rocky glory! Anyone who has read my blogs long enough knows that I just cant pass up on pictures of rocks, so of course there are more to be posted but from a different area! I hope that this week is going well for everyone and if you like rocks just come back tomorrow. Everyone take care, and keep family that is on the road traveling back to their homes in prayers.

Sixteen years and seven days ago

Daddy's girl from the start
Daddy's girl still


March 20th was Sweetpea's 16th birthday. Since we were up at the Grand Canyon for her birthday, my 16 years ago post had to be delayed. The theme for her became very clear to me while we were at the canyon that day though. She is still just as much a daddies girl as she was when she was tiny little baby. Of all of the pictures that I took that day, the one's of the two of them sitting while she sketched are my favorites. I knew just what pictures I wanted to look for in the cases and scan to post for this entry.

Her morning started off with all of us bouncing on the bed in the suite around her singing a very loud early morning version of happy birthday, then a dog pile on the birthday girl, and finally a pillow fight! Then it was get dressed, off for breakfast, and then the drive to the canyon. With lots of people there we took extra time to find just the right area's for Sweetpea to be able to sit and sketch. I know that I have posted bits and pieces of information about the trip so I will just end with one more time saying Happy Birthday to my Sweetpea for her Sweet 16!!

Very first picture, first day home
We knew early on that art was a favorite
First Birthday
Kisses from Daddy
Who is lecturing who in this one?
Love those french fries!!

Grand Canyon Pictures

Well I finally figured out just how I wanted to post multiple pictures from the Grand Canyon. So this post will have the slide show, and then tomorrow I will post with a few more personal favorites and details about our time at the canyon. For now I hope you enjoy the pictures of the Grand Canyon.

Just Quick

This is just going to be another quick entry here today. I'm still trying to get through all of the pictures, and feel like I'm playing catch up around the house still. My Mom and Larry are rolling out of town sometime early this morning, so good byes were said last night. I'm hoping that they have a better trip going back home then they had coming out here.

The picture is of the sign for Cruisers Cafe in Williams that we ate at for Sweetpea's birthday dinner. They took an old gas station and converted it over, very much a touristy kind of place, but they had good food.

Anyway, I hope that the week is going well for everyone, and I am still going to try to get back on track here.

Monday Morning Ramble

I'm sure that my last couple of days worth of entries have been pretty scatter brained to try and read. I seem to be having a heck of a time trying to get back into the swing of things here, so just give a little bit of time and I'm sure that I will get back to my normal level of "makes no sense" posting.

I'm trying to figure out just what I'm going to do with the pictures that I took on the vacation. The question running through my mind is "How do I want to post them for anyone who might want to see?" The next thought is do I have enough patience to get it done right now? I'm thinking the answer to that is no right now, so maybe I will just try to do single picture entries for the next couple of days, then get a more complete one done for anyone who might want to see more pictures.

Anyway, the above picture is of the Grand Canyon Railway that runs out of Williams Arizona. Williams is a very small little town that sits on historic route 66. It is very much a tourist area, but costs a little less then staying right up in the Grand Canyon. It was a very cute little place to explore and the kids loved being on the old 66. They kept talking about having the feeling to watch the Disney movie Cars. They also enjoyed asking questions about it and learning about its heyday before the the interstate bypassed the town in 1984. By the way it was the last town in America that sat along route 66 to be bypassed. The town was founded in 1880 by "Old Bill Williams" who was a trapper, scout, mountain man.

There is the small history lesson for the day. Who knew I had it in me? Anyway, I hope that the week gets off to a good start for everyone. I will be back with more pictures, and who knows maybe even some more history lessons. Everyone take care!

Sibling Sunday

Spring break is sadly coming to an end here tonight. This last week has flown by and I'm left sitting here trying to figure out just where it went. Sweetpea can not wait to return to school tomorrow and brag about her Sweet 16th birthday, Little bug is happy about school starting back up tomorrow to share all the news about her spring break, and Binky Sue would just rather have another week off.

Time with family visiting is also winding down here, Wednesday they are going to leave and start their drive back home. This whole month is ending up being a blur for me, but it has been a good one. The only thing was tonight Little bug seemed to be having some seizure like activity, but she rebounded quickly and was up and moving in no time at all really. Since it was the first vacation that we have taken since the start of her Epilepsy 3 years ago, I think she did very well though. All of the traveling, and the busy of the whole thing and nothing till today.

I'm still trying to get myself back on track here and probably going to need a couple more days to get that achieved. I hope that everyone has had a great Easter and that the week gets off a good start.

Home Sweet Home

Just going to keep this short tonight since I am very tired here tonight. We are back home again from our trip. As soon as we got in the house I had to start laundry and several other things since the girls head back to school Monday.

In a couple of days I will sit and try to pick some pictures and do a post, but till then I hope that everyone has wonderful Easter tomorrow.