Contest at Haugen's

Hey all...

The photography studio my sister works for, Haugen's in Monmouth, is doing a great holiday contest. You can win a session, custom holiday cards and a gift basket. Click here if you are interested!

www.haugensgalleri.com

Updates...

Yes, it has been a while. Lots has happened. I have started my new job and it is going well. I was talking to my good friend Molly today about how it is so much less stressful than my last job. Molly said, "You feel like it's cheating, huh?" She had the same experience when she left too and it really feels like, wait this isn't hard enough! It is so good to be in an environment where not hard all the time, I am not carrying it on my shoulders, like the million ton rock my last job was.

I have completed my first graduate class and am halfway through my second (The art and science of teaching) and it is fun. I wasn't really prepared for it to be fun! It is a lot of work, but I am really enjoying learning again.

Cesar is doing good, animals are okay. 2 of the cats, Ripley and Flea are currently PO'd because I changed food. They spend a lot of the day screaming at me and running to their bowls, as if to say, "where's the real stuff?" The new stuff is better for them, but it is sure funny watching them try to relay their message. Puppy Pixie is still cute, but a pain in the ass, as puppies and small dogs tend to be. She currently uses Ripley (the cat) as her chew toy, dragging him around by the scruff (even though he is bigger than her) and he loves it (he's a bit of a whore).

Tis all for now...I will try to update more frequently. :P

I am going back to...

school to get my masters in teaching. I am going through University of Phoenix in Salem so that I can still work full time. I was pretty sure about teaching high school, physics, math type stuff but then I ran into a teenager last week and thought what the hell am I thinking?!! Teenagers are cranky and mean. Maybe I should do elementary school. Which I have also been toying with. Both have pros and cons, but I would like feedback from my friends who know me the best - What do you see me teaching? Please vote on the side of this page! Thanks guys!

New Puppy...

So, Cesar got me a puppy for our anniversary/birthdays. She is a Miniature Pinscher and she's 3.5 months old. She weighs 4 pounds and will only be about 10 pounds when she is full grown. She looks like a mini-me of our Rottweiler, Bella and she definitely thinks Bella is Mamma. Bella does good with her, gives her loves when needed and snaps at her when she's out of line. The cats are adjusting well, Kash has started chasing her back, which is good and hilarious to watch. Here's a couple of pics...

New...

Car!!!! Yes, it's a sad and happy day. We traded in my beloved Jeep Wrangler for something more fuel efficient. Ironically, it is the same model I learned to drive on. However, the one I learned to drive on was a early 1980s model and was manual, missing first gear and reverse. In the process of learning, it lost second too. My dad actually pulled over on the way home from getting my permit and had me drive home in this car without first, having never driven anything before, nevermind a stick and one without first. This model is much better equiped. Enough with the suspense already, you say. It's a 2006 Volkswagen Rabbit. Yup, I am going back to my roots. Here's a picture I found on line, its pretty close in color, a grey/green color. It's zippy...

I love...

SNOW!!!!! I love watching in come down, I love walking in it, I love playing in it. I love it. Maybe because it doesn't snow all that often here, it is a special treat. I wonder if I would love it as much if I lived in Colorado or Alaska - some place that was always covered in snow. Every winter I wait and wait for it to snow, like a kid. On Monday, we had about 1/2 inch on our deck and I opened the back door and the kitties all went running out and then they all put on the breaks and ran back in. Their delicate little inside kitty toes could not take the snow. It was funny...

Being a Recluse...

I've been watching this show, October Road and there is a character in it named Physical Phil. He's been a shut it for the last 6 years, not leaving his house. I gotta be honest, sometimes, that sounds pretty damn good. Now a days, you can get everything you need online, groceries, clothes, gifts, shoes. Really, you don't HAVE to ever leave the house. You could get your friends to come to you if they liked you enough. Anyway, just something to ponder about... what do you think?

Irrational Fears...

So, we all have them, irrational fears. Mine is frogs. Yup, frogs. I don't know why, I happen to think that frogs are cute and adorable and like looking at them...in pictures, behind glass or from afar. I don't do well when they are within a foot or 2 of me. And I live on a wetland. Which equals LOTS of tree frogs. So, here's my story.

Got home last night from Dylio's birthday party and came in and let the dog out and fed her. Walked up and down the hallway a couple of times, noticing the cat Ripley burring or batting at something. I turned on the lights, thinking it was cat puke but no, that would have been better. It was a frog... a damn frog in MY damn house. I screamed. Thank god Cesar was home. He came over and got a plastic cup and scooped it up. Turns out it was dead. A damn dead frog in my damn house. Our theory is that it got in the garage and died, then my lovely felines brought it in. We're still ruling out suspects, so far the dog and my cat McGuire and Leah have been cleared.

So, I was freaked out all night, didn't want to get off my bed, like it was an island. I even made Cesar look under the bed to make sure there were no more frogs.

There was a damn dead frog in my damn house. Ugh.

So long 2007...

May you rot in hell. Yup, that is how great 2007 was for us. Cesar and I stayed up until midnight and flipped 2007 off as we showed it the door. I am very excited for 2008 and hopeful. Hopeful for new opportunities and new horizons and fresh starts.

Welcome 2008.