new mexico

WORD OF THE DAY- venerate: to treat with deep respect.

as the fourth of july quickly approaches i am excited that i can spend the weekend with my dad. for some of you the fourth may just be a reason to eat/drink to much and play with explosives, but for me i get to spend my dad's birthday with him. i'm not knocking explosives, i love fire more than most. my dad fought in the vietnam police action (it wasn't a war). although it was never officially a war, many vets are still fighting in it. i didn't get to know my dad until i was 26. it really is a long story that is best shared over chocolate. my daughters absolutely adore their abuelo. i haven't been able to see as much of him as i would like because his health is very poor. on thursday the family of finch will load into the car for the trip to abuelo's house. we are very excited and hope to return with pinon coffee and other treats that we love so much, but i also get to spend time with one of the people who makes the fourth of july mean something. there are some holidays that are equally important to all of us, but some holidays are held higher in esteem by our vets. if you haven't thanked one recently for their sacrifice go do it. hope you have a great weekend. FOOD FOR THOUGHT: in the words of Augusten Burroughs "I myself am made entirely of flaws, stitched together with good intentions."

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friends

WORD OF THE DAY: abstruse: difficult to comprehend.

i thought the word was fitting for today. i have never had many friends, but the ones i do hold close are more like family. i spent today with one of these friends. how we became friends is really abstruse. by all reason we are so much alike that the sheer knowledge that another exists should drive us to rage. instead we became fast friends. it is rare to have a friend that will tell you when you are wrong. most friends are willing to walk with you when the road is easy, but as soon as the grade of the road rises or gets a little bumpy they are no where to be found. rare is it to find a friend that will bring you bright colored daisies after a miscarriage. if you are lucky enough to have a friend like this, tell them that they are loved and how much they mean to you. more importantly be a friend like that to your friends. in the sermon on sunday the youth minister said "we reap what we sow". this is very true if you sow love and trust with your friends that is what you will reap, but not all people are capable of this. keep an eye out for these posers. they should be beaten mercilessly. just kidding. they should not be entrusted with your heart. to my friends thanks. as unlovable as i often think i am, you still manage to think i'm great. thanks. pattylicious i thought you would enjoy this quote. FOOD FOR THOUGHT: in the words of Robert McCloskey "I know that you believe that you understood what you think I said, but I am not sure you realize that what you heard is not what I meant."

flagged

i've been flaggedlook at all those little flags

who knew i was cool?

woo hoo, flags

i love the little flags

I've been flagged. most of you probably don't understand the giddiness that i feel towards those little flags. our church youth group is putting these things in yards all over happy. how did i get them in mine? someone paid the youth group to put them there. that means someone thinks about me enough to pay to have my yard decorated. i know most people would not view it the same way, but i have only been cool once in my life, that was by default. i view this as a definite sign that someone likes me, or dislikes me enough to do this. woo hoo. please don't drink the hatorade (pronounced hate-or-ade), and tell me it is because i am uncool. this could result in trouble. anyway big 'uns and i have already discussed it and agree that it is the result of being cool, which makes her cool by association. we are both very excited.

the keeper of the future

WORD OF THE DAY:
sanctum: a place where one is free from intrusion.

i awoke this morning to the cooing of my youngest child. if you have never heard this it is wonderful. then after i put her down for her morning nap, her sister awoke. as i sat watching her read a book it occurred to me that i am the keeper of the future. what can i teach these innocent little girls that will help them when i can no longer keep them safe? am i even capable of such a job? i never really wanted children until two months into marriage i found that i was pregnant. the commercials on tv show the happy, crying mother when she sees the little blue lines. i was the sobbing hysterical mother because i didn't know what i was going to do. in the eight years that have passed since that horrible scene, i have become more comfortable in my role. however, from time to time i realize that there is no amount of preparation or study that can prepare you for this job. there are days that i love being a housewife, and there are days that i would give my right arm to work outside the home. the word of the day is because i have discovered that i really no longer have a sanctum. there is no place that my girls can't find me, and then i realized that i am comfortable with the predicament. i wouldn't trade this for anything. i hold the future in my hands, and i am responsible for giving them the building blocks with which they will build their lives. suddenly my job seems like so much more than dishes and laundry. food for thought in the words of Lady Mary Wortley Montagu: I despise the pleasure of pleasing people that i despise. many of you know that my chosen profession has not pleased many people that know me. this quote is for them. hope everyone has a great week.

Pizza night is here

WORD OF THE DAY: invective: insulting or abusive language.

the day we have all been waiting for is finally here, Pizza Night. most of our regular attendees will not be present due to previous engagements or the rules of custody. to keep everyone up to date i walked with big 'uns last night, and then came home and did 40 minutes of strength training. we did lower weight more reps, and still i ache. tomorrow is my pampered chef party, but it looks as though it will just be big 'uns and me. my mom and aunt sue will be on their way to OKC to visit my uncle who has lung cancer. that's all for now i'm driving humpty hump to work today. food for thought: in the words of miss piggy Beauty is in the eye of the beholder and it may be necessary from time to time to give a stupid or misinformed beholder a black eye. hope everyone has a wonderful day and a great weekend

summer is here

WORD OF THE DAY: eructation: the act of belching; a belch

it is officially summer. today will be the longest day of the year, woo hoo. i just wanted to let everyone know that i started my strength training yesterday, and this morning i am having trouble typing. i also went for a wonderful walk, did some crunches, push-ups, and several other exercises. why all this work in addition to the diet? in october i'm going to vegas with my hubby. i would really like to spend most of my days by the pool while he is in class. i however, can not subject people to me in a bikini in my current state. not even i am that cruel. i have begun to really work on toning up. now i know why they want you to only do strength training every other day. don't know if anyone is interested, but my pampered chef party is saturday at big 'uns house at 1 pm. i hope everyone enjoys the first day of summer. food for thought: The opposite of love is not hate, but indifference.

good morning starshine

yesterday was awesome. i got to hang w/pattylicious and fam all day. we went to the pool, and the wee ones had a blast. we then headed to big 'uns pampered chef party. the food was great and the company was excellent. my hubby was wonderful and watched the kiddies, so that pattylicious and i could go to the party. gotta go the kiddies call. thought for the day: even when you're falling on your face, you are still moving forward.

i am i dawn quixote

C is coming out of the dog house and Sheree is looking at her


this is Dawn Quixote

this is Sancha Panza

this is Zetta

we have recently acquired 5 goats. 2 were birthday gifts for my hubby from his bosses. they are wild and crazy, but seem to be calming with time. these two goats are 1/2 boer. one is very sleek and brown she has a C on her forehead hince her name C. the other is shaggy and not the prettiest thing to look at. our tenant in the apt. helped name her. the other 3 goats are la manchas, does the title make since now? they are wonderful hand fed goats that let our oldest daughter lead them about the pen. we got a mama and her twin girls. the mom was already named Zetta, so i couldn't name her Dawn Quixote. instead i named one of her daughters Dawn and the other is Sancha Panza. had i been allowed to name the mom we would have named the girls, Sancha and Dulcinea. i thought it was fitting to name them after the characters in Cervantes' book Don Quixote. we have been milking Zetta and are hoping her production will increase enough that we can start making cheese and yogurt.

manic monday?

adara lost another tooth last night and was thrilled to see the tooth fairy left her a dollar. if you haven't read baby gator/big 'uns latest blog posting this weekend was pretty fab. this week looks to be equally busy and crazy. baby gator has a pampered chef party this week and then i have one this weekend. hopefully within the next few weeks i'll be selling pampered chef. woo hoo. also very exciting i sang karaoke in public for the first time. it was terrifying. patilicious asked me to so i did. what are friends for. as far as my hubbies new nickname, i'm not sure he really likes it. you haven't lived until you' ve seen my straight-laced hubby singing rap songs.

a rose by any other name

shakespear may have been right, but baby gator thought that i should change my name to lil' miss martha stewart, as this is what i am called on her site. this morning i decided it is better to be consistent, at least that is what i tell my children. hope to be posting more later.

howdy ya'll

I'm new to the whole blog thing, but i wanted to keep some friends and family that live far away up to date w/the family of Finch.