Dear Day I'm Starting to Forget,

I'm starting to forget that we actually went on vacation. And I have neglected to share all the details with you. Someday, I'll write a story about it. While you wait (maybe for months), here are a few pictures for your memory and mine.

Puerto Nuevo - Fishing Town

Eating Lobster...Yuuuum!

Morning Coffee at Cafe Cafe in Ensenada (well, tea for me!)

La Bufadora

Since we've come home, the last two weeks have been crazy around these parts. I've barely stepped foot in my house but to eat, sleep, and to do the occasional load of laundry. It seems like it's been real cloudy around here. Which, by the way, there are three loads downstairs waiting for you to come over and help me. Please? With it's few glorious moments, my house feels like it's in a state of perpetual chaos.

I'm quite embarrassed that a friend of mine happened to step in amongst the disaster. I hate showing my dirty laundry and having my house less than my standard.
I'm learning, constantly, that It's all gonna be alright.
Good friends don't really care if you can't find your floor because it's covered in an inch of dog hair, and your couch is incognito because it's covered in a sheet to protect it from all that dog hair, and your garbage stinks. Your dirty laundry doesn't bother them.....really they don't care. They like you anyway. Even with your stinky garbage.

Yesterday and today, the sun is out.
In my family, we're finally getting over the winter crud that affected every one of us in it's own special way. We're remembering what it means to rely on our Maker amongst the storms and even in sunshine.
I know they'll still be some days with rain,
but spring is here,
finally.

Yesterday was a great day - I had the pleasure of hanging out with my dad....he was kind enough to drive to Lansing with me, Lydia, Hannah, and Zomer (the dog). My little girls got to see the Vet Clinic at Michigan State. (Jeff, I think I want to be a vet now.) It so happened to be the day for all the Michigan State Police dog handlers to take in their dog's for their annual x-rays and check-ups. That was something to see! Patrol cars, policeman, and beautiful dogs!
Zoomy's fine by the way, in case you were wondering. We took him to get his preliminary x-rays for his hips and elbows for the OFA. That boy's got some excellent hips on him.
Someday, he'll help make some pretty fine pups.
Because of a rolled over semi, t took us almost 3 hours to get home, but it was a nice drive.
And Dad, if you ever read this, I want you to know how much I love your stories. They make me laugh and smile. I really love spending time with you.

AND then, CHICKENS. Oh, the chickens were so cute and adorable! Chickens on my living room floor. You must go read about our adventure with chickens!
And, Kate, I will go on ANY field trip with you! You are my peep! (definition #1)
Except one crazy thing, I think I'm allergic to chickens. What the!?!? Who's allergic to chickens?!

And so, life brings me to today.
Today, I have no field trips, or vacations, or errands to run. I can stay home. I get to stay home. I can clean up my house, vacuum with my new vacuum cleaner bags, fold my laundry, take my garbage out, and make a glorious dinner. I'm excited.
The sun's out.

Enjoy your day. And always live life like it's an adventure.

Dear Good Friday,

Buenas tardes, ¿cómo estás?

We have returned from our trip to Baja California safe and sound. We have new ideas about life and the way we look at the world. It was a great trip - just me and my Jef-fur-ae. More on that next week with lots of great pictures. By the way, yo amo tacos de pescados con todo mi corazón. Yummy! You can come over to my house sometime, and we'll cook some up for you--Baja style.

I just wanted to check in with you all quickly to encourage you to enjoy this weekend and the profoundity of it all. Our week since we've been home has been a hard one, and I'm looking forward to a new beginning on Easter.

May your Good Friday be a day of reflection and remembrance and you Sunday be a day filled with blessing and joy.

Dear Day After the 2008 Women's Expo,

-Baby Haylee is getting a little bit fussy in her stroller as she is pushed down each isle.

-Grandma finds a free - cheep plastic clapper - toy at an exhibit, and she gives it to baby Haylee.

-9 month old baby Haylee is enamored with her clapper. Not making it clap by any means but drooling all over it. Which creates a slobbery happy party in her teething mouth.

-Baby Haylee stops fussing, and grandma is triumphant in getting baby happy again.

-Strange woman comes up to Grandma. Woman asks, "Where did you get that clapper? I dropped mine back there, and I think that's mine."

-Strange woman begins to reach for the clapper which has not only become a prized possession for baby but has also become drenched in baby spittle.

-Grandma stands between baby and strange women. Grandma looks at strange woman, and says kindly (although her face twisted with a look of 'stand back or this grandma will rip your head off '), "This is not yours, it came from an exhibit over there." Grandma points down the isle to a table filled with free - cheep plastic clapper - toys.

-Strange women says "Oh" and walks away.


What the heck? Are there really people who do that? People who would really take a toy from a baby for their own selfishness? I know this isn't a grand profound story, but it just shows the extreme idiosyncrasies of folks.

After this strange "incident," my attentiveness to people was slightly heightened. I started intentionally people watching. Isn't that a great past-time? Being completely aware of those around you. Being careful not to stare or listen in on private conversations, but to watch mannerisms, the way they move, and the way they interact with others. My most favorite part about people watching is seeing what they are wearing and how they style their hair. Goodness that is SO shallow. But I must admit it.

This part of my people watching experience was the BEST ever at the Women's Expo! Watching all the women, and the awkward men who found themselves at the mercy of their wives or girlfriends. It was also great fun watching the men who were "lucky" enough to host an exhibit. The cooking men, or Chefs seemed the most comfortable in their surroundings. Herds of cackling woman surrounding them as they saute, grill, and broil.

Then there were a few unfortunate Authors. Sitting there patiently with their new novels stacked three stories high. They wait and attempt to make eye contact. If you were savey enough not to stare, you could make it by without feeling slightly guilty or remorseful for skipping over these poor gentlemen. Yes, they were men. Poor, poor men. Sitting there patiently, waiting for some women to say "Oh, my! You wrote that book! I love YOU! I can't wait to read it!" Guys, men, gentlemen, your shoot'em up thrillers and ghostly mysteries are not going to happen at a Women's Expo. If you are going to exhibit here, stick with writing about self-help, cooking, or what foods you can eat to make your leg hair fall out.

Women are very funny creatures. They crowd around drawings for free micro-dermabrasion, hair removal, trips for only $49 (who gets suckered into that?), underground fencing for your pooch, massages, manicures,....etc. They eat all the ice-cream samples and cheese cake from the booths that are tactfully directly across for the American Heart Association or the How-To-Loose Weight with one magic pill just once a day. Oh, the irony.

My absolute favorite part of the afternoon was watching a women measure other unfortunate souls for their proper bra size. This woman was beautiful. Tall, thin, gorgeous hair and make-up. She was measuring all kinds of different sized women, different walks of life women, and ehem different levels of health conscious women. One woman, who is particularly dominate in my mind came up to the Beautiful One to get measured (we'll call her that so you don't get confused.) Just so we're all on the same page, we women usually call it a "fitting," however because their were no bras there for the fit, we shall just call is a "measure." Anyway, back to the woman to be "measured." This woman, a very buxom women, carefully pulled off her red blazer, and stood directly in front of the Beautiful One. I couldn't quite hear what was being said between them and 5 other people about her gigante ta-tas. What fascinated me most about this who ordeal was the ease of execution. The Beautiful One was so comfortable with practically groping this woman's chest as she carefully measured, and I think may have been explaining how to uplift and hide the tube sock syndrome.

Ok, well, I think I could write a book on the things I saw at the Expo. It was a great time. I liked the cheese cake a lot. I filled out just about every piece of paper for the drawings. Maybe I'll win a trip for $49, and you could come with me. And I may win a Chef for a day - you could come over and eat with me. Grandma bought an epilator, I wonder if it works? Aunt Sara bought a new dress, and I can't wait to borrow it. I didn't buy anything, although, I think I need a new knife set. And I most definitely did not get measured. What a day.

What did you do this past weekend?

I'll see you next week (Jeff and I are going on a teensy vacation to Mexico), and hopefully you're surprise will be ready. And Kate, I'll make you some Sesame Chicken when you get home.