Papa and Willow's afternoon nap

Seems like we just got home

We got back from a friend's wedding in NYC on Tuesday morning. We leave Friday for Miami.

I used to think getting to travel a lot for work would be fun. Not so much anymore. Expecially since after this trip, there's another one looming. I'll be headed to Tallahassee before the end of the month. Sigh. Yep. I'm tired.

Moving

Wow, moving is hard. Yes, I know that's an understatement. Robin and Brian are moving to a nicer, larger home with real bedrooms etc. They'll miss the beach cottage and the beach, but the girls will have a yard to play in and it's much quieter.

I'll post a photo later.

Ready to be home

Woo hoo. It's 6 a.m. and I've been up for two hours. I think I'm just so excited about getting to go home today. I've been on the road now 8 days straight. Today being day No. 9. Nice hotel, it's like an apartment almost at the Embassy Suites. I'm just ready to go home.

Need to watch a sunset today.

Sick, sick, sick

Ugh. So, the doctor says I have "allergies." I have a cold. Pure and simple. Stuffed up head, ears, etc. Of course, things like that only happen on the worst damn week at work. Anyway, photos always cheer me up.

The 10 Resolutions

10. Save more money, be frugal with the budget

9. Pet my cat more

8. The standard - lose weight

7. Get this company to hire me permanently after the campaign.

6. Stay in touch with my family and friends more.

5. Send -- and get -- more flowers

4. Grow a tomato

3. Finish decorating my house

2. Hug my family more

1. Watch more sunsets.

Walk to the beach

From the front of our house to the beach, it's about 200 yards.

New paint in the dining room

And, no. We're not OSU or Tennessee fans!

The House

Our House

Another year

Wow, I can't believe it's been more than a year since I posted to this blog. I'll get better and invite you all to post your thoughts, comments, family moments here.

Here are some photos from Christmas, enjoy!

Family posts

Well, I've definitely neglected this blog, so it can now become EVERYONE'S blog -- well, everyone in our family anyway.

I'm still trying to finish baby quilts to get in the mail. That's why little Willow is waiting to be born, she knows Grammy's not quite finished. Ha!

And, just to see if you guys are reading this. I'm going to Olympia the first week in December. Date to come, yet.

posted by MOM

Stress

Well, stress has a way of creeping into our lives doesn't it? This last week, it sort of got slammed into our lives because some morons stole my purse out of my locker at the Y this week. Along with it, my bonus check of $500. We needed the money, so that sucks.

But we're trying to stay positive and I'm giving the cops an incredibly hard time about not doing anything. The bank on the other hand has been wonderful.

Our first grandchild -- Mason -- started school this fall, so that's scary. We're getting older. That sucks too.

Hey, I promise the next post will be cheerier.

Trips and moves

Well, we just got home from our big trip to Minnesota. It was great. I guess Minnesota was really the "vacation" part of the trip, though we just about got to see everyone.

We only spent two whole days, and three nights with Elaine. We had a blast and want to definitely have a family vacation at her brother's resort White Birch next year.

Tubing down the river was fun -- slow, but fun.

We managed to squeeze in a short trip to the Mall of America. Then we stopped in Ames to see Tonya and Brad. They were moving, so we helped unload furniture.

Then we went to see Sondra, Mason and Shane. They were moving, so we helped them pack one box. Left before they made us lift anything. Just kidding. Did take Mason to the doctor.

After that we went to G-ma Betty's place. Aunt Mo is fine. Big news there -- Joyce and Gordon have their house on the market. Apparently, they went to visit friends in Tennessee and bought a house while they were there. Now they are moving. Have no idea where exactly, they haven't told anyone in the family. It's weird how money changes people, or maybe they were that way all along and this just brought out their real personalities. We wish them well, just a little stunned by it all.

G-ma Betty is going to have a cancer spot removed from her arm. We tried unsuccessfully to get her interested in ANYTHING. She just sits and picks at her arm, and caused a staff infection. Frustrating. I don't understand why people just quit living after they get a certain age. Just waiting to die. I plan to live my life to the very last second.

We hate leaving sometimes. Aunt Mo cries everytime we leave. She's so sad since Bucky died. Please remember to send her a card now and then.

The only person we didn't get to see on the trip that we had hoped to see was Barb. We had wanted to swing down by St. Louis and see her, but wanted to rush back to see G-ma. Well, that and the next time we're up we definitely plan to stop by Aris' in Jeff City at lunch to share a carafe with Phill and Lorie.

That's the vacation in a nutshell. Lots of fun, lots of family stuff. Now, we'll concentrate on getting to Washington. We're missing the girls growing up and that makes me so sad. :(

Counting the Days

Less than two weeks, we'll be going up for Mason's baseball game. Can't wait to see him. It's been almost seven months. Seven months. That's the longest we've ever gone without seeing him. So we won't let that happen again.

Last night we saw a dad and his three little girls. They were all so cute, and definitely daddy's girls. We wondered if that was going to be Brian.

Reunion

Well, I've been thinking it's time we had a realy reunion. So I'm going to call some of the Snyders and see if they are interested. I don't think ya'll have met too many of your Snyder clan folk. Heck, your dad doesn't know all of them.

So it's time before too many more die out. This comes because I ran across an old letter (cleaning out my "must do" list.) This letter was two years old, and we meant to respond -- you know I'm dad's secretary. We never did, and Walter passed away last year. So it's time to do this, and it will take a year of planning, but it will be worth it.

Anyway, how's the world out there?

Take a long look

Have you ever just taken the time to really look at the people you love?

You should, sometimes it's just looking into that familiar face that makes you fall in love all over again.

Speaking of, I'm sure missing some familiar faces and we need to make a trip to Missouri soon. We're thinking we're going up to Grandma Betty's for Mother's Day. Maybe we can meet there? If not, we'll trek up to Mo. because we miss the little red head. Speaking of, wonder if Mason has any hair yet.

I had a dream last night about a little girl with dark curly hair. She was holding my hand and had a fistful of bubble gum. Hope it's not an omen. Brian sure wants a boy. But you can always name her Sam (antha).

Love you all.

Growing up

Wow. We like Brian and Robin's soon-to-be home. It's weird seeing your kids all grown up and self-sufficient. Thank God. Hee hee.

We're proud of our children. Brian and Robin are good parents. Brian's a good daddy.

I know Sondra's still struggling to get through college. We're so proud of her. And, Amanda's still finding her way. She will. Sheldon's one heck of a hard worker. He never misses a day of work, so they'll be ok once they find their path. Hopefully, he's going to be getting into this program at Bob Howard Auto Group. They hire people for six months, then send them to school for six months etc. That would be perfect for Sheldon because he wants to be a mechanic -- if you can call them that anymore it's so high-tech now.

Dogs and easter eggs

Dogs don't do a very good job of finding Easter eggs...just kidding. But that was our Easter -- alone with two dogs and a cat.

It was quiet though, and sometimes quiet is good.

I'm crunching trying to get all the stuff done for the podcast. Not like I haven't been planning it for several months now. May 1 -- no kidding. Look for it.

Exercise nuts

Well we joined the Y two weeks ago, and now it's starting to become a daily habit. Ray is really going overboard, walking at noon and then going to the Y and working out for one hour to an hour and a half each day. I'm usually the one who's ready to leave.

The Y here has a cool thing called "FitLinx" The machines automatically record what you do and when you do it. Miss a day, and it gives you a message like "where have YOU been?" Keeps you honest and you don't cheat on the weights.

That's our life right now. Work, gym, sleep. Well sort of sleep -- still on the old mattress. We're keeping our fingers crossed that tomorrow is the day our new mattress will be delivered. If not, we might get cranky.

We have no plans for Easter. None. We were going to a cabin (my mom's idea) at a lake, but dad's not up to traveling. We probably should go see Grandma Betty, haven't done that in a few months. Amanda kept asking us what we were doing so we tried to include them in our plans. Nope. They are going to Vernon. They wanted to know what we were doing coz they want us to babysit the dogs. Are you kidding me? Kids, I swear :)

Cars and more cars

Wow. We had lots of fun yesterday. Decided to go to the "free" car show at Rose State College. That was a small car show, but lots of fun. They had new cars (my favorite) and old muscle cars (dad's favorite) and then they also had the import cars that kids like these days and there were even a bunch of low riders. It was definitely and eccletic mix. We sort of liked that.

Well this is the hot rod show weekend, and we didnt' go to that show because tickets are $15 a person. Too much for us cheapskates. So instead we did what the news told us NOT to do. Apparently South Meridian up to NW 10th has become an "unofficial" cruising spot for the last few years. Some years they even set up concessions. We wanted to check it out.

The police were doing their dang best to ruin the fun, setting up roadblocks every other block. The cars were amazing. The crowds were amazing. Whole families, young and old. It's really too bad that OKC doesn't embrace the event, put it somewhere where it's away from the residents who complain. It was fun. Muscle cars, hot rods, there's always been an element of lawlessness that goes with the whole thing.

Anyway, we got home and finally watched King Kong. Great flick. I was surprised and totally expecting not to like it because Jack Black was in it. I don't like him. He's annoying.

I promise to blog more on here. :)