Coming SOON to this BLOG!

Looks like I am not doing so well with the keeping up blogging thing, soooooooo to get me moving I have decided to start some weekly features, hoping that I will then at least update 2-3 times a week. Feature number one I borrowed from this blog and it is called Wordless Wednesday - every Wednesday I will post a picture that speaks for itself. Feature number two was inspired by my thought that I have lived in Arizona for 5 years now and my friends back home have never ever met my new friends here, so I will be doing Friends on Friday featuring one of my new friends each week. After I finish every friend I can coerce here to be on my blog, I will then feature my treasured friends from home. Don't all start begging me at once to be on the blog, you will all get your turn.

I was thinking I need another feature, maybe Tasty Tuesday I could feature a recipe I have found and yes we all know I am not much of a cook, so it will be something simple to share or............any ideas for other weekly features will be considered, if your idea is chosen there may be a surprise in the mail for you. That is if anyone reads this and responds.

That is all I have for now, check back starting next week for Wordless Wednesday, Friends on Friday and you never know what else.

Weekend at the Pointe

Last weekend Pat, William and I went to the Pointe Hilton in Phoenix to swim and relax. You might think really? who goes to a hotel where they live, when the temps are well over 100 and you can barely breathe the air. That would be us and from the crowd a good number of other desert dorks. I am sure those that were not from the area had their own weird reasons for vacationing in Phoenix in July, our only reason was to hang out at the waterpark, relax and enjoy some of those wonderful razzatinis (ok that was my reason). We had dinner at the western BBQ restaurant where you could get that cute little boot full of beer, we hung out at the waterpark where they have multiple pools with a big slide and a lazyriver. After what seemed like an endless week of work, it was a nice way to spend a couple days and getaway.

Thirteen years fly by

September 1998 - Geneva, IL

May 2011 - Gilbert, AZ

I remember that day in September of '98 like it was yesterday. It feels like it was yesterday or maybe last week. On that day I wasn't thinking 13 years into the future and Mike graduating from High School. We had all of elementary and junior high to get through first and well HS was just some distant thing that didn't even cross my mind. Mike loved school from the start, well maybe he didn't love the getting up for school or actually going to school part - at least not all the time, but he loved the adventure and learning part. Mike has always been a quick learner and good student and that hasn't changed, and I am hoping it doesn't as he faces his college years.

College years! I cannot believe those words are coming out of my mouth. In some ways it just doesn't seem possible that he is 18 and leaving for college in a couple months. In other ways OMG! Really? Is it finally time? TGITime! I am hoping I am not alone when I say that my feelings change daily from being thrilled to death with him moving on, to being scared to death that I haven't prepared him properly for all he will have to deal with. I hope I have taught him to make good choices, to treat others with kindness, to do his best always, to learn from his mistakes, to take the road less traveled and enjoy the journey! I am confident Mike will excel in whatever he chooses to do. I am proud of Mike and look forward to this next phase of his life.

I AM BACK, well hopefully, maybe sortof

My blog has been neglected, I have been busy spending my free time connecting with long ago friends on Facebook and stalking other blogs. If the two people that read my blog are still checking in then here we go........I am back, hopefully, kinda sorta.

Two Years and a Perfect Smile!

I think this picture can pretty well speak for itself. It has been a long road sometimes feeling like the braces would never come off and other times feeling like it was just yesterday that they were put on. Check out how far we have come here. Mike is happy to be rid of that mouth of metal and I have to say that he has one great looking smile!

Koopmann Visit March 2010

Bob, Laura and the kids were out again for a spring ball league, the unfortunate part for them is it rained most of the time they were here. Would never have known they came to the desert for Spring games. Didn't matter to me, because I didn't much care if they could play baseball or not (sorry Bob) and I got to spend more time with all of them. The kids change so quickly at this age and I am very thankful for the time I got to spend with them. They are so cute and sweet and just adored their big cousin, William. He had a blast just hanging out with them too and we can't wait to see them this summer!

Grammy's 2010 visit

At the Heard Museum
Grammy's favorite Guacamole Sedona

A few photos from Grandma's annual visit to Arizona. This year we went to the Heard Museum in Phoenix. It is a Native American museum, filled with all sorts of........well museum things. Tons of interesting stuff and if you would like to see more about the museum go here. Then there was the almost obligatory trip to Sedona. Love that place, I was feeling the vortex this time, but I am not sure anyone else was. We had lunch at the mexican cantina, where we seem to lunch most times we are there, the food and more importantly the margaritas were as good as ever. On Grandma's final night here I dragged her and the kids to Freestone Park to take some photos. Seems we always leave that till the end and then I never get any shots of her with the kids and well that's just not right. If you would like to see more photos go here. We love having Grammy come here to visit and are always sad when she leaves, but this was her longest visit yet and maybe next year will be even longer.