the State of Indiana

class blog

2011-01-13T09:37:00.000-08:00

SO, one of my CC classes requires us to blog with partners. I am not going to co-opt the State of Indiana, but i will link from here to there so anyone who may show up here can go to the blog of this tri-mester's Media and Society course that my partner adn i are being forced to endure... My partner's name is Amanda and you can find us here .

hosting a brief bit of video

2010-12-25T10:46:00.000-08:00

for some reason i cant post a video to my brother's facebook, so i am just hosting it here... that way i can post it on facebook as a link!

Merry Christmas Everyone.
-m.

facebook

2010-06-07T17:49:00.000-07:00

i've just gotten lazy about posting on here. i am sure i will continue to post once every few weeks, but for more contact, content, pics and other visit me at facebook

people search: misti hartzell jones

what we've been up to lately (pictorial)

2010-05-16T15:17:00.000-07:00

We have been keeping busy... between school work and family life, we are living to the fullest it seems. From the bottom to the top (commentary) :

Knights of the realm, Indiana and Greg Hopla, My great grandmother was married to Greg's grandfather's brother, so that makes us shirt tail cousins of a sort.
Chubby sometimes gets sleepy, and it helps to have a sleep buddy.
Indy's friend Garrett had a birthday, we celebrated here with lots of kids!
more of Garrett's birthday
still more of Garrett's birthday
We saw a paddle wheel boat in the river on our adventure walk
really cool globe along our walk
Indy and Trime in Tooti's garden (looks close, they are in there!)
the new trampoline is a deffinte hit (or jump!)
Indy was very brave and crossed the Willamette river on the converted pedestrian bridge.

There's been lots going on, and we have been having a great time. Meanwhile, daddy is in Florida and Indy misses him.

humbled by my children:

2010-03-29T20:18:00.000-07:00

two stories, one for each of my kids...

sorry, no pics today.

About Indy:

on our way home from Florida we flew through Atlanta. I was complaining about flight delays and airport miseries. Fate and the four year old found a way to make those flight delays trivial. When we found our gate, it was covered in camo. We were scheduled to fly out of gate E31... covering every inch of E31, 32, 33, and 34 were approximately 300+ US Army Soldiers. We sat near a major who told us they were heading to Afghanistan, via Kuwait. Indy saluted him and told him thank you for being in the army... the major gave indy a uniform flag patch and told us he had a 5 year old son waiting at home. Indy then made friends with a young Soldier named Mike. Mike was a wonderful young man, with a nice southern accent and a heart of gold who spent half and hour or so talking with Indy. When the flight was called, Mike went off to join the single file line of Soldier's snaking down the concourse. Indy, being Indy, wanted to go say goodbye one last time to his new friend, whom we will probably never hear from again. I let him. Mike the Army guy was near the head of the line. Indy decided he was going to high five every one of those soldiers, and he did. Looking down the line, you could see the men and women shuffling things out of their hands, so they could have a free hand to high five him, or ruffle his hair. he smiled and said thank you for being in the army over and over and by the time he got to the end i was nearly in tears, humbled by my little guy.
I hope those soldiers know how much they mean to Indy. He loves all of them, but he loves Mike the best.

About Duck:

Today, i had a lecture, then a ten minute break before lab. On the break i was smoking and i noticed a fellow from my lecture there and struck up a conversation... asking him if he had lab with me or had lab 2. He said he had lab2 because the M/W one ran too late for him to pick up his daughter from school. I asked which school she was at and it was CLOVER RIDGE! well, that's the school Duck went to, and he volunteers there also. I mentioned how much we love it there, and not mentioning my older boy by name, said he volunteered with Mrs, Grahm's kindergartners. The man looked at me for a moment and said "Dakota?" of course I said, "yes! how did you know!?!?" he said his daughter is in that class now, and he had met Dakota earlier in the year and that my son looks just like me, and isn't Dakota just the nicest, politest, most helpful teenager ever... WOW. in public, Duck really is, we get told by teachers and things quite often what a delight he is (in private it is a whole different thing). It was heart warming to hear a stranger tell me that he see these traits in my child.

I have great boys, and i love them both so much. my children are truly blessings raining down on me.

oh woe is me:

2010-03-21T05:19:00.000-07:00

I got the last of my grades this morning... all As.

Oh woe is me I am burdened by my great intellect, hehhehehe.

Anyways, my forehead is burnt, and my feet sorta hurt, but i got to touch a Stingray! Today's agenda: visit a friend and hit the gulf. finally some water!

fly the friendly skies:

2010-03-18T21:27:00.000-07:00

first vacation posting: (i'm no travel writer... thank goodness) check back occasionally for more photos and etc...

we made it.

Our flight out of Portland was delayed by about 45 minutes, then when we landed in Detroit, we were so late that we had to sit on the tarmac for almost 20 minutes while they made room at a gate for us. We initially had 50 minutes scheduled to change planes, but with all the delays, we ended up MISSING our connection and sitting in Detroit for over three hours while Delta tried to get us on another flight (the cool thing was that i got to buy a Detroit Piston's t-shirt for Indy in Detroit).

We finally drug into Ft. Meade about 1pm, no one had slept since 8 the morning before, Indy was cranky and finally just passed out right before we pulled into the driveway. It was a long long trip, but worth it. We went to Inco Agrico Mosaic wetlands park today... it is just BEAUTIFUL here.... while Chris and I were walking the boardwalk and admiring the Peace River (which was higher than i had ever seen it) Indy was at DISNEY WORLD!

an abnormal response

2010-03-15T20:56:00.000-07:00

Typically, i don't deign to respond to hecklers. At first, i thought this should be no different, but some of my friends have called, emailed, or left comments replying to the heckler. For those who didn't see it, the comment is still there, but here it is, copied and pasted :

Anonymous said...: Did you also discover that you are completely full of yourself? "oh, woe is me. I am burdened by my great intellect and feel so sorry for the lesser beings in my classes.

You sound like a world class snob

Perhaps i am something of a snob. But i never was a snob about my intellect before, so it is kind of cool to me that someone would think that i am. Usually, especially with my friends, i play down this part of myself. In all honesty, most of my life was spent pretending that i was not as intelligent as I actually am. In the days of dinosaurs, when i was in high school, i often did poorly because i didn't want my friends to think i was too smart and not be my friends anymore. My insecurities were rampant, even if well hidden.

I find it amazing, and i am justly proud of the fact that after all of these years i have returned to continue my education, but now i can be smart, in fact i am encouraged to be smart. My instructors spend time stroking my ego with the giant A's that they continually hand me. I do work for these A's. I do get frustrated that many other students don't keep pace with me; I do my homework, they should do theirs. I read, I study, I learn. AND I LIKE IT.

So, am I full of myself? Yeah probably.
Is that a bad thing? No, not this time.

Years ago, when my ego was fragile and i was so uncomfortable in my own skin, this rude anonymous comment would have probably made me dislike myself more, and perhaps even quit school, tail between my legs that someone didn't like me. Now, it makes me angry that someone who remains hidden behind a veil of anonymity would try to hurt me in this way. I am also strong enough in myself, now, full of myself enough now (if you will), to be moderately amused by the barb.

i also think i might steal the line and make it my new face-book status message, it is sort of funny. Oh woe is me... I am burdened by my great intellect. Muwahahahha.

learning about myself:

2010-03-15T01:05:00.001-07:00

One thing i have to say about community college that i did not expect, I am learning a lot about who I am. I have had many of my opinions about myself reinforced, but I am having to, at the same time, revisit some thoughts. It turns out that I am smart. I always sort of thought so, but i knew that lots of people are smart, and always just assumed that most people were like me. It turns out, this really isn't the case.

Most of us take for granted that we can do certain things, and the assumption being that if we can do them, so can every one else. I am finding that this isn't true.
There are so many things about education that come naturally to me. I find myself truly frustrated with my fellow students lack of similar skill (especially with similar instruction). I am learning that i am less patient than i believed myself to be.
In a classroom with 50 other students, a test designed to take an hour takes me twelve minutes, and i score higher than my fellow learners (in a class that is deemed by the administration to be difficult). In another class, I am told that perhaps I should be held to a different standard, because it would be unfair to my fellow students to try to measure up to my successes, and unfair to my education if i am held to their standard as my skill with the subject matter is greater (yet it is my first class of this type and I have had the same instruction and opportunities that all the other students have had).

So, I am struggling to match the realities of my life with the possibilities of life that i see in my mind. I never realized that other people do not have the same swarming masses of thoughts, that other people don't read Aristotle because our instructor mentions him. I never realized that the things i am capable of doing naturally are a struggle for others. I am not complaining that i have potential, far from it. Really, I am sort of saddened that I never attempted to realize this potential before.

There are many obstacles to overcome, one of many is finding the way to continue financially, but I think I am going to continue my education rather than taking the first stop to a job. If i can find a way, I will continue school, until i have found in me, the place to stop. If i could do anything, it would be to one day reach out and teach other minds like mine. I am not a genius, in fact, until i returned to school I didn't even think i was above average. Bright perhaps, but in a normal kind of way. But, I always had a thirst to know, to understand, to talk it out until i got it... Perhaps, one day i could teach? Perhaps one day i could Preach? Perhaps one day i could lead?

Perhaps, first, i should find out who I am.

2010-03-04T20:13:00.001-08:00

i do not keep up with this the way i should anymore. i apologize. the latest: almost done with winter term... leaving for florida in a little over a week. finals coming, studying up. indy is doing great. if i dont write again before we go, i will post pics when i get back.

valentines present:

2010-02-24T16:43:00.001-08:00

Happy Valentines, Honey...

so, see he got the bike on V day, i am just slow at getting it posted on here.

in other news, i got my drivers license.
woot.

math

2010-02-01T18:01:00.000-08:00

i had forgotten how time consuming actually learning math that is new to me can be. My other math courses were reviewing concepts i hadnt seen in twenty years, but still, i knew them once. This new stuff sucks. i emailed the instructor for help... but wow, really.

ah, sales:

2010-01-23T13:52:00.001-08:00

I love sales. Fred Meyer had all of their Oregon Duck gear (and their beaver gear as well) on sale for 40% off! Thus, Indy got a new jersey!! Getting him to stand still long enough for a picture, well... that is a whole 'nother story :)

i freely admit i have a problem:

2010-01-16T13:42:00.001-08:00

many of you already know about my little problem.
it's furniture.
i have a LOT.
i can't help myself.
i should join a support group :)

anyhow, i am transferring my illness on to the next generation... Indy got a new bed. He did need one, and now Bosco has his own spot, too. Indy loves it, and his friends (the friend in the picture is Colton) think it is pretty awesome, too.

for DUCK:

2010-01-10T11:37:00.001-08:00

'nuff said

they say he was good...

2010-01-04T18:49:00.001-08:00

My brother and almost sister in law took Indy to the zoo today. Jake and Marissa... that's them in a pic i stole from Jacob's myspace... well, i think the crazy faces were probably the result of being with Indy in a car for over an hour! I teased that they would want to get "fixed" after an outing with him!
Indy says he had a great time and Jacob says that Indy was a good kid. I am really happy Indy is getting to know his uncle and aunt, and i am always happy to have some alone time with my math homework!

on a side note... i love Marissa's SUV.

pasadena

2010-01-01T16:55:00.000-08:00

c'mon DUCKS...

we want ROSES!

edit...
that horrible pathetic choking sound, yeah... that's Oregon.
there is always next year.

I LOVE MY DUCKS

first pic of the new year

2010-01-01T08:59:00.001-08:00

I really wanted to get an ab fab picture of Indy to start the new year. He didn't co-operate. So, i got an ab fab picture of someone else! This "some-one-else" is a valued and beloved member of our family, too. He gets a little press, but mostly he just lays around being long suffering as Indiana uses him as a pillow, a ladder, a jungle gym, a towel, and a multitude of other things...

Another Year, come and gone:

2009-12-31T14:49:00.000-08:00

Too much happened in our lives this year;
some things good,
some things bad,
some that will haunt us the rest of our lives.

There is so much i can say here, but i will refrain because i think no one really wants to read my ruminations. I will say this... we made a resolution this year.

Goodbye McDonald's drive-thru, i will miss you.
Goodbye Burger-Ville, you had the best small burgers in town.
Goodbye Burger King... i didn't really like you anyways.

We are saying farewell to fast food. We can still have meals away form home, but they must be in sit down establishments. We will no longer be eating in the Cruiser. There is but one exception... Indy can still have the occasional McChicken sandwich. After all, he isn't the over weight, lazy bum that we adults are.

blue painters tape

2009-12-29T19:42:00.001-08:00

ok, i have to explain something...

in the previous post (pic) you can see "blue stuff" on the wall near the front door.

so here's what it is:
it is a redneck fix to a serious problem.

Our electric plug ins on the front wall are on a switch (for like lamps) well, i have the telly plugged into that outlet and every time someone tries to turn on the porch light they shut off the telly. This can really suck when i am in the middle of NCIS, as it takes a while to power back up all the electronics. I get a wee irritated. Ok, i get ticked.
Since none of us are smart enough to hit the correct switch, i covered the switch that can't be shut off, with blue painters tape.

It works.

it must be some kind of record

2009-12-29T14:41:00.000-08:00

yeah, you can tell school is out...

i am posting more than i have in ages!

yesterday's package from Florida was a hit, so was today's!

I'm John Lennon:

2009-12-28T13:03:00.000-08:00

Indy adores music. He has eclectic taste for a four year old. No old McDonald for him, oh no. When it comes to the Beatles, he says "I am John Lennon" and sings several of the songs. He loves Beatles RockBand. The music is over 40 years old, yet their appeal hasn't diminished with time or generation.

Rock On.

two quick pics:

2009-12-26T19:59:00.000-08:00

We spent Boxing Day on the coast... Cape Foul-Weather was actually nice, clear and WINDY! the clouds came in just as sunset came, foiling my plans for pics.

This other pic...

i like it.

I had a lot more to say here, but, meh.
You either get me or ya don't.

Happy Christmas Eve:

2009-12-24T08:14:00.000-08:00

Just sharing a good morning photo...

Sometimes they are too cute!

whats up!?!?

2009-12-19T18:14:00.000-08:00

I thought i would have more free time with term being over.

boy was i wrong.

grades are in:

2009-12-15T19:36:00.000-08:00

ME:
gpa 3.71

Nutrition: A
SP 218: A
WR 121: A
MTH 95: B

CHRIS:
gpa 3.5

Golf: A
WR 90: A
CLP: A
MTH 20: B
CJ100: B

that puts both of us on the honor roll for fall term!!

storybook land 09

2009-12-09T22:10:00.001-08:00

I gotta give Santa credit. Indy climbed on Santa's lap and says "do you remember me from last year?" and Santa doesn't miss a beat, he says "sure i do, you come see me here every year."

Indy was duly impressed and chattered his ear off, not about what he wanted, but about how is Santa doing, its cold at the north pole, he sure loves Rudolf and Dancer.

(Tooti went with us this year! oh and we also bumped into one of Indy's classmates)

deforestation, and the anual gaudification thereof:

2009-12-06T19:30:00.001-08:00

Before:

During:

After:

Lights are up outside, too...
I promise pictures soon(ish).

ciao.

An Open Thank You:

2009-12-06T10:45:00.000-08:00

The moment every parent fears most is that their child might stop breathing. I have aged 10 years this weekend.

Friday, when I picked Indy up from school he had a very slight runny nose. At dinner, he was a little cranky and had a very mild cough. By bedtime he was hacking and coughing and we sent him to my bed with a dose of Children' NyQuil. A few hours later, Indy's dad wants to come to bed, too. I need to make room so I roll Indy over and he coughs a moments, then he sits up and can't breathe. His lips turn blue, he gags and hunches over, you can see his mouth and chest fighting for air; he gags up mucus and you hear a rattling breath pulled in... too short, not enough oxygen in it. Chris is running for a phone to call 911 and my little boy is fighting for his life; fighting for a breath to sustain him. Indy breaks free from my arms and stands up, his skin flushing pale. I coral him again, leaning him forward, rubbing his back, telling his to breath like his friend Jace's mom who is almost ready to have her baby. His chest is heaving. You can hear the rattle of a minute amount of air going in, and none coming out. His color worsens, he gags more mucus onto my lap. He gasps trying to copy my Lamaze. I know how men feel, coaching childbirth; "Breathe honey, slow and easy" (I'm giving it my best, non panic, he-he-he-who)... it's such a helplessness.
fire trucks arrive...
Indy is looked over by 6 firefighters. The house feels so small with six big guys and all their gear. They are pros though,who whisk him off into the the ambulance. I grab a pair of long pants and head out to ride along. My husband and my mother in law trailing in the car behind the ambulance, running red lights. A nebulizer treatment is administered in the ambulance, he is breathing so much better now. The paramedic/firefighter who rode in the back with us gave Indy a stuffed fireman dog, wearing a fire department shirt. Indy rewards him a weak "O", and a small "go ducks". The guys wheel Indy into the hospital on a gurney, where the nurses swing into action. Indy gets more breathing meds and the pediatrician is called in from home. Blood is drawn, an IV inserted. It is 1 in the morning. Indy receives oral steroids. She (Dr Perryman, the pediatrician who rushed in from home) checks to be sure that everything possible is being done, and being done right. She checks and double checks. She admits us to the hospital just to be safe. We head for the 3rd floor. Indy was born on that floor, just across the hall from where i toss and turn on a pull out, listening to each ragged inhalation, holding my breath until i hear Indy exhale. We rest. We wake, vitals are checked, more breathing meds administered, breakfast comes and goes. Finally, i hear it. He is breathing clear. We get to eat lunch, bathe, and we learn to feel more secure; that each breath will be followed by another. We get to go home.

So, what happened? What i understand is that Indy picked up a virus that caused croup. Now, i have heard of croup, its a hacking, barking cough. What i did not know is that croup happens when the air passages around the larynx swell. In a small child, those air passages are very small and they can swell closed in a severe case. That is what happened to Indy. I have been given some tips from nurses and pediatricians now on how to deal with the rest of his illness (which should last about 5 days).

I owe so much to the fast responders coming from Tangent Fire Department, who arrived at our home within 2 minutes of the call... it felt like 20 minutes, but the reality was, i could still hear the city siren sounding in the still night air when the trucks rounded the corner into our neighborhood. Those guys reassured a small sick boy, and his distraught mother. Their very presence comforted a frightened father and grandmother (who was spending the night in anticipation of the "great Christmas tree hunt of 09").

He's fine. honestly.

Those men who respond to the call of others in distress in the chill dark of night; those men who risk their lives, every day, to be sure the rest of us are ok... we all owe them more than a thank you. Our lives are in their hands. They are gentle, professional, and caring; they hold us safe both night and day. Yet, too, their lives are in our hands, and we are none too gentle; we take it as our due. Be easier with these men (and women).

Thank a fireman. Thank a paramedic. Thank a nurse.
They held my sons life in their hands, and they delivered.

pity party, sort of.

2009-11-30T00:30:00.000-08:00

so... i have all kinds of great ideas for the future. most of them have me finishing college about the same time as Indiana. Some days, as i sit here trying to make my brain wiring kick, i wonder what the heck i am thinking going back to school.

here's the long version: i decided that the job market sucks for someone with no marketable education. that would be me. so, i did some looking and found a field i might be able to not kill myself in (i might kill others, but what the heck) anyhow, as i started really looking into my chosen field it started making more and more sense but the education for it got longer and longer. now, following the most recent addition to the educational trajectory i am thinking i should finish my university studies when i am 43. holy crap. at least i guess i wont have to work too many years before retiring. and if i keep getting the grades, i shouldn't have too many student loans, as scholarships are just kicking butt right now. however, to keep getting the grades sometimes i feel like, OK, i KNOW i neglect my family. i haven't seen Duck in an age (and he isn't even going to Florida with us this year) I was so wrapped up in my homework tonight that Indy went to bed without his customary bedtime story. the spouse is cooking dinner every-night, on top of unloading the dishwasher every day (i load it), doing his homework, and helping out in other areas... i am so far behind in the laundry we bought Indy three new pairs of pants so he would have something to wear to school on Monday morning. i don't want to work at McDonald's all my life, but i have trouble weighing the (relatively) short term familial neglect over the long term possible benefits. I haven't even gotten Indy's Santa letter written, nor the Christmas card address' put together.

wow, so that was a pity party, wasn't it. of course i feel much better now.

happy thanksgiving

2009-11-26T12:14:00.000-08:00

We are having ham.

The thanksgiving turkey was just, well... it was at other peoples houses and we stayed home. (Indy went to the other side of the family like he always does on thanksgiving... my folks came here, Chris is southern, thus we had ham)

This years thankful thing:

There are so many people that i am thankful for in my life.
All of the people crowd out the things, really.
Although i am thankful for my husbands ps3 (it keeps him off the streets)
I am so thankful to have two healthy beautiful sons.
I am thankful for the best set of folks, ever.
(really, you guys rock)
I am thankful for a group of friends,
who throughout the years have suffered ups and downs together and apart,
who will step up to the plate for me, whenever
You guys have been around for ages and know who you are.
I am thankful for online friends...
like Caroline, who I feel like is a regular friend.
I am thankful for my community college instructors,
some more than others.
Did i mention my husband yet? He's pretty amazing, too.
So, yeah, economy sucks. i have too much homework. and life isn't always easy
It's better than the alternative, and i am thankful for that.

practice practice practice

2009-11-25T13:08:00.000-08:00

Indy has been practicing writing his name, this was the first day (the green is daddy's model):

(he says the other symbols there mean "i love cheese")

Anyhow it's been about a week and a half and he has been practicing everyday on his white board. Not lots of hours or anything, just writing his name once or twice a day in purple, with a green model written by his dad or i visible near the top.

Well, today the spouse is all about getting the house spotless for thanksgiving, so I am trying to keep Indy out of trouble (no easy feat that). I wipe off the white board and begin writing his name in green on top when Indy says, "you don't need to write it, i know how to do it"... i erase the green letters and give him his purple pen:

Well done, little dude.

peroxwhy gen

2009-11-24T19:42:00.000-08:00

Indiana's new favorite band.

Check them out at Peroxwhy?gen

pre-school play

2009-11-20T10:22:00.001-08:00

Indy, Fisher, Justin, and Braeden hang out in one of the "learning centers" early in the morning. Indy really likes school (except nap days).

the school pictures came:

2009-11-20T00:31:00.000-08:00

He is just so cute.
His dad said his lopsided smile makes him look a little goofy.
I think he looks amazing.

random soldier

2009-11-12T21:07:00.000-08:00

Yesterday was Veteran's day.

I could go on and on about the parade, and all that, but i wont,

instead i will just say what needs to be said. Thank you, to this random soldier who made Indy's day, and thank you to all soldiers and veterans. America, and we here at the State of Indiana are proud of you.

couple updates:

2009-11-10T22:24:00.000-08:00

So...

Duck is sick with the flu. I hope he feels better soon. We miss him, but no one wants to get sick so we havent seen him in a while. I tried to message him from class today, but he didn't answer so i figure he was sleeping.

I haven't posted a picture of Indy in a while, and although this one is not exactly recent, it's cute.

He says he wants to play golf like daddy, basketball like Duck, and motor-cross because he wants a bike... Duck's going to have to get his old one out of the barn and get it running... or not. I don't think Duck's old bike has training wheels.

math

2009-11-08T00:38:00.000-08:00

(yeah, not an Indy post...)
So, i am having this conversation about how math is harder for me to score well in not because i am incapable of learning the material, but because it is not subjective. Math is always one answer. you are either right or wrong. and one thing builds upon another in such a very logical linear way...
Writing and communications and other classes of that nature have so much leeway (and even more when you think comparatively).
I do well with leeway.

Gimmie an inch and i will take a mile.
It's true.

I never thought of myself as subjective before.
Objective, usually.
Objectified, well, not lately.
But "subjective"... yeah the more i think about it. It's hard for a scatter to be anything else. I like to be where-ever-able.

So, what do i do to become less subjective? I plug away at this math over and over and over until all the sudden, something in my brain wiring makes a connection and i score a 93% on the pretest. i'm very good with a 93. i am beyond very good with a 93.

this is better than in high school. in high school i was embarrassed by my grades. my friends never did as well as i did, i didn't want them to think i was some kind of brain freak. some of my friends i still cant really share the grade stuff with, but most of them, well, most of them dont care but at least i am not ashamed to show them how smart i am turning out to be.

pumpkin pi...

2009-11-04T18:43:00.001-08:00

The annual pumpkin massacre went well... pumpkin pi was my favorite of the year.The begging candy from strangers thing went well also.
Although my valiant little knight fought Darth Vader all day long.
I think i prefer the family afternoons of rock band, though.
Ok, this is disturbing and just happened as i was posting the last picture... Indy comes dancing out of his room, nekkie except for his hat, singing "some people call me the space cowboy, some call me the gangsta of love... wooo wooo" .
wow.

finley...

2009-11-01T18:57:00.000-08:00

In the day to day struggle not to flunk out of community college like some kind of moron, i often don't take the time to truly enjoy my Valley. Some of you have been reading here for a while and know how much i truly love my home. I enjoy showing it off; i enjoy just looking around me and showing it off to myself.

Today, we took some friends and family and off we went to a place called William Finley National Wildlife Refuge. It's an amazing local place.

So without further ado... pics: (no particular order)

I promise i will get halloween pics up soon....

community college continues

2009-10-29T20:42:00.000-07:00

school continues apace. i seem to be doing well so far. its getting more difficult, learning new stuff. Indy's chilling in preschool, life goes along smoothly for now.

i made a movie for school, that was fun. i applied to student government as well.

haloween is coming, so hopefully i remember to charge the camera batteries :)

education

2009-10-19T23:14:00.000-07:00

just a quick hello.

with everyone in our household in school 4-5 days per week, time seems to slip away from me. halloween is coming, we have indys costume... he even tried it on. i got no pictures yet, but i will. eventually.
school is going well for all of us. indy hates enforced nap time twice per week, but he will get used to it or get over it, since he has no choice. im doing well. 5 classes... one is pass/no pass. so far im looking at 3a's 1b and pass. not bad. the b is in math, again. but i am pulling an a out of a class with an instructor famous for not giving a's! chris has like 2a 2b, same with Nate. i hope chris can get one of his b's up to an a, i would love to see him on homor roll. i think it would do wonders for his confidence. i hope none of my grades slip me off of the honor roll, i like seeing my name in the paper outside the arrests section =P

anyhow, hope you are all well...

ciao

wow, so school and other stuff

2009-10-06T16:26:00.001-07:00

so, school is going well. i feel a little old. between classes i found myself chatting with some younger students, one was Xanadu... its weird to find myself randomly chatting with Duck's ex-girlfriends older sister. i like her though. and am glad to see she's in school. other wise, its just start of second week so who knows if i am doing well or screwing up... seems ok so far, really.

indy has the flu (confirmed by the docs at the hospital) so he's on tamiflu and out of school for the week. so we are scrambling and his grandma is taking over babysitting duties while we are at school (chris's mom already had her flu shot so she feels pretty safe).

homework to do and not much else to say...

ciao

Seventeen and too lazy to be God:

2009-09-21T11:07:00.000-07:00

A conversation with Indy went like this:

Indy: are there wildflowers?

me: yes.

Indy: so no one planted them?

me: that's right.

Indy: so if no one planted them, how did they get here?

me: I don't know, God i guess.

Indy: i don't think so.

me: you don't? why not?

Indy: because Duck is too lazy to garden.

(ok, OMG, Duck is always saying he is God... i love Indy sometimes)

Happy Birthday Dakota. I can't believe you are 17.

im the king of the brittons... the who?!?!... the brittons.

2009-09-20T22:30:00.000-07:00

So, we went to the Renaissance fair... yeah, we are white and nerdy. It was actually fun. I got a killer sun burn, but the food was good, the jousting was entertaining, and we were with David. (for those of you who are comically challenged, the above picture is two people doing the monty python bit... coconuts and all)

oh and so Indy cheered for the blue knight, and daddy cheered for the black knight... the black knight killed the blue knight, later as we were strolling the fair, the black knight was also strolling and indy hollered at him about killing "his knight". the black knight thrust out his hand and apologized. it really was a great day

ciao

pulling pork

2009-09-09T16:03:00.000-07:00

One of the many benefits of marrying a southern boy:

This man can grill! He starts a day ahead of time, dry rubbing and marinating, then grills all day, over apple wood (cut from the tree at our old house) then he pulls it all, drizzles it in sauce and puts it on buns... even with two whole pork shoulders nothing will be left tonight except 11 satisfied tummies... and one very happy dog who is currently contentedly crunching pork bones.

His amazing food always makes my pathetic contribution of homemade potato salad and fresh sliced watermelon pale in comparison.

a few glimpses of our day

2009-09-06T20:09:00.000-07:00

Well, you see, it started out innocently enough. We decided that we had been under so much pressure lately that we just HAD TO HAVE a day out. A family day. You can tell how thrilled Indy was by this idea. We couldn't get him to crack a smile. Not one. He wanted to stay home and play with his buddies, but NOOO, mommy made him sit strapped into the car, for HOURS.When we finally got to the very top of Mary's peak everything was grey, cloudy, about 45 degrees and WINDY!! it was tons of fun though, even though we all shivered.Indy noticed that Oncle Nate didn't bring binoculars, so he made his own.Then, he raced Oncle Nate back tot he truck... sticking out his tongue and taunting the whole way!

Well, here's where it gets a bit sticky... I hadn't been the Waldport way (hwy 34) in ages and ages and years; eons really. So we continued along to the beach. Indy loves the beach and was pleased to ride the rest of the way there. He didn't even get car sick on the 40 miles of twisty mountain switch-backs. It was warm and mild and wonderful on the coast:There were jelly fish on the beaches and photo-ops galore, and as per usual... my short hop, just 22 miles to Mary's Peak, became an all day thing and the sky turned red as we come into our beloved valley to end the night.

We love to wander our state, but to come back home at the end of the day... that's what its all about.

bad moon risin'

2009-09-06T11:58:00.000-07:00

looking out my backdoor...

that ccr concert influenced me, i guess... since a few days later i am looking out my backdoor at the bad moon rising. at least i wasn't down on the corner or stuck in Lodi. hehe.

actually, i am just happy to see the clouds rolling in. we might head over to Newport today... i hear 45ish mph winds, and that's always nice on the beach at places like devils punchbowl. i even heard there might be some thunder and lightening maybe even hail on our Pacific shoreline. we might not. maybe we will head off to Mary's peak. or maybe we will sit right here and do nothing.

probably do nothing. thats the easiest option. cheaper, too.

ciao

Carnage:

2009-09-04T20:18:00.000-07:00

I must warn you, the following images are not for the squeamish or faint of heart... These photographs are so vivid and graphic, I can't be responsible for any health concerns caused by viewing them... please, if you have a heart condition, turn away, now.

I present here some very disturbing images of the carnage caused by our four legged death machine:

As you can see by the extreme emotion shown by Indiana, this monster is a real felon... he stole our hearts. what?!?! you didn't see the sarcasm coming... you should know me better by now!

Our child (heck, our entire family) will probably never be the same for his close association with the chubby handicapped dog who was given a second chance at life by Waggin Inn Rescue (if you stumbled in here, and are looking for a pet please check them out at http://dogtime.com/shelters/US-OR/6319-eugene-waggin-inn-rescue )

ciao

a cell phone picture story:

2009-08-31T03:36:00.000-07:00

I played in the fountain:I decorated the dog:I discovered art (tatas!)Then i tried to hide from the parents when they said it was bed time... do you think they recognized me!?!?

Actually, mommy just stole some pictures from daddy's cell phone;

She wanted to share.

ciao

just some recent stuff

2009-08-30T10:42:00.000-07:00

i have the camera hooked up... so lets put some pictures up (captions following each pic) :

Last night: Credence Clearwater Revisited... good show (free) wish we could have stayed longer. they have a web site, i would put a link for it, but I'm not feeling THAT motivated.

Four Legged Death Machine... probably only if you tried to take his chair. Oh... this is at the new house, yeah we moved. sigh. long story.

THIS is what happens when we let Nate drive. I know, accidents happen, they just happen to him more than most.

THIS is what happens when we let Duck drive. It's his first boo boo, but his dad said is was 'spensive.

My friend Arica's husband and younger son are nearly as good looking as my husband and younger son.

before we moved, in fact its probably been more than a month since they were here, Arica, her husband, her two sons and her nephew (new son? not sure how they call it) visited and we had a bit of a pool party.

We visited the local version of the travelling Vietnam War Memorial. We did not take Indy to it, as I don't think he is old enough to understand and show the respect this monument deserves. One Day, we will take him to DC to see the real thing, when he is older. I don't know if Anyone will EVER be old enough to understand that war, really.

So, there was some more, but the camera got jostled and the connection was broken. i guess i will just have to do more another day.

ciao

it's all about the cool whip, baby!

2009-08-20T23:48:00.001-07:00

So, we're moving... trying to keep Indy happy and entertained and out from under foot as we schlup furniture from one location to another is as easy as a dish of cool whip and the great outdoors!

as always, stay tuned.

jesus loves me (at least someone does!)

2009-07-26T21:55:00.000-07:00

so, it's a regular heat wave. we have both window ac units going because our heat pump is on the fritz, the pool (which is unheated) is staying a nice constant 80 overnight. i slipped out at like 1am and floated for a while, it was peaceful. the first half of today was peaceful too:

Indy did his first day at Sunday School today. the church bus came and picked him up a little after nine, he slipped his hand into Brother Downs' hand and left like it was the next big adventure and he couldn't wait. He wants to go again next week, even though it sounded like it might have gotten a little rough... he told me that another boy called him a very bad word (which he later said was ass and that the teacher made the other boy stand in the corner) and he later still confided that he really missed me and cried. He is getting too big too fast.

I know i keep promising pictures, but i hardly ever use the PC that has the camera card reader hooked up to it, thus i really am slacking at pics. i have plenty and one of these days i will get some new ones up.

on another note... my girl Arica will be here soon for a visit, we can't wait! Teresa and Gary have moved out, over to Lebanon. I hope it works out for them. My folks bought a new truck! it is very red. Chris is working nights, still... at least its cooler for him at night than it would be during the day. i talked to Mike for the first time in several years, i had forgotten how nice he is to talk to.

lastly, i am writing this bit in just as a note to myself, i have got to talk about the latest bit of complete asinine stupidity committed by the fellow i sometimes refer to as my sperm donor (but to be nice you could say biological father) very very soon.... those who are close to me, if you haven't heard, CALL ME .... i need sounding boards on how to cope with something i have no control over, no input in, and really, no real reason to give a great gawd damn .... for those who don't or cant call... stay tuned: i have to get my thoughts together on how and what to say about the most recent bit of retardation committed in the name of family. its a soap opera writers dream (only we aren't that pretty).

escaping

2009-07-21T15:42:00.000-07:00

Indy has found that the shortest route to the neighbor girls house is out his bedroom window. Today, the dog discovered that the way to follow indy to tooti's house is also, out Indy's bedroom window. So, walking back across the street from grandpa and Tooti's, we discovered Chubby out in the front yard, looking for his boy. oops.

wow, so hi.

2009-07-16T21:54:00.001-07:00

So, i haven't been here in a while. Life gets so busy, things happen, oh and did i mention i get lazy sometimes? don't believe me? go check out two days of dishes to be washed on the kitchen counter.

So, whats up with us? Well, lots, really, and then not so much. It seems like things are go go go go go then NOTHING for a while, then back to the go go. Currently we have extra folks living with us, out in the shop we converted into a studio, so that's different. An old friend from Jr hi of mine, who's husband was a dolt. so she's here until she gets her own stuff sorted. School doesn't start until 28 Sept, so Chris is working at the local cannery until then. Indy is all enrolled for fall preschool. those of you who have been reading here a while, yeah, he really is getting big, but i am not on a computer that i can add photos. i will get some new ones up eventually (OK I've said that before); both boys... they are amazingly grown up. the big one especially!

Indiana has discovered Michael Jackson... he sings, he dances, and occasionally he realizes Michael is dead so he cries. we sing American pie together, and when the music dies, Indy cries. its sweet really. now that MJ is dead its okay to listen to his music again. all the hypocrites that called him vile names a few months ago, that would have laughed in your face for listening to his music are now saying "i always knew he was innocent" and offering up their albums on ebay for thousands... ah well, i still maintain that since about the 8th grade, i love the music, but the fellow himself was mental. i agree with Duck: Billy Mays, the guy who could sell me cancer and throw in a second for shipping and handling, is probably a bigger loss to humanity. not to take away from the music left behind of course.

otherwise, yeah, we are all alive, thriving as we can under the circumstances.
until next time

A post by Duck

2009-06-29T00:17:00.000-07:00

Hi Billy Mays, no longer here.....
..
..
..

..

This is for you, Billy Mays, may you find Peace, the great American

salesman

Billy, who was he? In the past few months we all learned
so much about the man behind the thick beard and the booming voice. He was
a kind man, even doing pro-bono work for the client from Texas with the
slippers. A man who put his family first. He was a perfectionist to
the T. He was a true believer in the products that he endorsed. He
showed us that wearing a beard was cool again! Above all, he demonstrated
that a man from humble beginnings can rise to the top, and still be humble.

And despite his meteoric success and stardom, he never took himself seriously.
Billy's parodies of Billy were sheer genius. He introduced us to
OrangeGlo, and OrangeGlo introduced millions of us to Billy, and thus, the
legend was born. The world of direct marketing would never the same again.
He was truly unforgettable! And we will never forget him. Every time
we put OxiClean in our laundry, we will remember him. There was never one
like him, and there never will be.

Where would we be today without OxiClean (now a staple of
American households), Zorbeez, Mighty Mend-it, and Mighty Putty, to name but a
few? Who could ever forget the Awesome Auger? And Billy broke new
ground in direct marketing with iCan health insurance. No matter what you
may have thought about his hearing problems (the deaf don't speak as loud as
Billy!), we all know that Billy Mays became an icon of American pop
culture, the everyman who achieved success through hard work and determination,
failure did not deter him. Someone we will never forget. He pushed
on with a drive few can match. And today, we all lost someone special.

There will never be another like him, a once in a lifetime character, and he
will be dearly missed by all.

not an Indiana post:

2009-06-07T11:00:00.000-07:00

the difference between men and women (ok, this is a generalization, don't jump all over me)

after three days of intense illness, bodily fluids exploding from every orifice but the ears, vomit, diarrhea, runny nose, tears of pain... you get the picture... when you are FINALLY starting to feel better, like you can sit up in bed without grabbing the plastic bucket that you had to go fetch yourself to put next to the bed, exhaustion in every limb, making it hard but no long impossible to walk from bed to refrigerator for a cold 7up, when the 3 days of body strain and lack of sleep because NO ONE lets you sleep more than two hours in a row without asking you to do something for them are finally nearing their end, WHAT IS THE FIRST THING ON YOUR MIND? i am willing to wager it isnt trying out the new warming lotion that mister insensitive jerk who isnt working, so should be able to do housework or babysit his child while you are ill, but manages to be unable to do any of this, making you GET UP out of your sick bed to vacuum, since your mother keeps coming over to take care of the child and you are humiliated because with three other adults in this house, a husband a brother and a best friend, no one does crap to help out thinking you can do it all, since you only have a part time job and full time school, yeah you want to have sex now. maybe if you lay just right you can see the unmown unruly back yard, where the grass is taller than the famous amber waves of grain and make a to-do list of all of the crap that you have to do on your own to take care of everyone that usually doesnt bother you at all, but when you are ill, you would think just one of these people in your life that you strive so hard to care for all the time could lift a gawd damned finger and they dont and you realize how little any of them really give a great gawd damn about you. excuse the language.

honesty

2009-05-23T15:23:00.000-07:00

ok lets admit it, i just dont blog the way i used to. its sporadic at best... sigh.

i have taken some new pics and i mean well, i really do, but it seems that if you want to see the new pics, as i just dont ever get around to posting them here, go to www.myspace.com/dakotajh and click the view my photos link... there are several new ones of indy, including some from the camping trip and etc.

dental duo

2009-05-08T10:53:00.001-07:00

today i am going to the dentist.

ack busy

2009-04-19T10:07:00.000-07:00

so been busy but figured i better say something quick like.

got lots of homework, school is busy busy busy, plus the house looks like those posters from high school about nuclear winter. and indy had a birthday so did all that. and now i really "should" get busy... i will post some pics of indys birthday a little later. i havent even looked at them yet and his birthday was three days ago!

phosphate

2009-04-10T14:04:00.000-07:00

I've been curious about Phosphate lately. This "thingy" pictured here is a Dragline. It digs out big scoops of dirt and rock. It walks. It is used to mine phosphate. It's pretty impressively huge.

So, why am i ruminating on phosphate mining? No idea. I had these neat pictures from when we toured the mine and i had no idea what phosphate was or why. So i looked it up. click the links if you are interested. or not.

further frustrations

2009-04-08T14:17:00.000-07:00

When it rains it pours.

Do you ever feel like if just one more thing goes wrong you will just lose it?

that's been my last few months.

the newest disappointment?
Well, i was so excited because it looked like i was going to have a job starting in July. I had to take the training (unpaid throughout June, then start work in July). So, i went and did the prereqs to get started. I had to have a vaccination (since when i was little a person only needed one mmr shot, now ya need two). I had to go get a TB test and wait a couple days for a result. While i waited for the result the class filled up and now the job i was counting on is gone. I still might be able to get in if someone else drops out, but i do not have my hopes up because life has been suckin pretty badly, so the odds are not good. the good news i guess is that i don't have TB. i already knew that, but i had to have the test and result before i could turn in my application. So, if Chris doesn't find something soon, we are totally screwed.

so. now what? i just do not know. i know this blog is supposed to be about Indy, not me and my frustrations, but i needed an outlet. i don't feel like i can talk to my usual "support structure" people. I just can't dump my overwhelmed stuff on them. I do not know what answer there is to this. Maybe there isn't one, and i am just destined to forever walk through this life screwed.

at least school seems to be going good.

random social commentary, sort of

2009-04-03T18:02:00.000-07:00

Warning: this is not a regular type post for me, here at the State of Indiana... check back later for updates on the family.

Don't mind me.
Some days,
no one does.

Every month, on the 3rd, Chris's mom takes us to lunch at the local Chinese place. We have been doing this for almost 2 years now. Today, brooding upon our life as i have been, i noticed some things that made me very sad. As we turned the corner to pass the mall on our way to pick up Chris's mom for the monthly meal, i noticed two stores closing (within a block of each other)and next to the store closing signs, a homeless man pushing his shopping cart across the street.

Now, i know things wont be so bad as living out of a shopping cart for us, but i cant help feel more emotional for that man than ever before. I feel more deeply for all of the employees of those stores that are closing. I know a girl from one of those shops, went to school with her.

I wonder how this happened? I know all the newsy blurbs, housing bubble, bad mortgages and all that,but really... how did we come to this? Where are all the people who have these bad mortgages and not paying their bills going to go? Are they going to become homeless, or are they just assholes who bought a 500k house on a 200k budget and some p.o.s. banker said "hey, i don't care if you cant pay, we are just going to sell this to some idiot who doesn't know you cant pay"? Who are the greedy bastards who caused this mess? Are we, the people as a whole, responsible for the mess we find ourselves in now, demanding living wages and health insurance and paid coffee breaks, along with filing lawsuits for EVERYTHING (come on, some lady overhearing a dirty joke, not even told to her, but that she eavesdropped on, winning a few mil for sexual harassment... please!?! she was only offended they didn't tell it to her. nosy, my mama always said " don't listen to other people if you don't want to hear what they have to say". coffee on your lap? i didn't know it was going to be hot. its COFFEE for gawds sake, not a milkshake. stupid #&$^%.)? Do you know what that does to insurance rates, and to companies who cant afford to hire people because of those rates? Or are the greedy execs, Enron type fellows all, who hand out bonuses from our tax money to blame? Why are there still CEO types making a mil, while so many shops are closing, so many children are hungry right here in AMERICA? Food banks in Oregon are seeing record numbers of people in need, yet record lows in donations. Are we, as a nation on a witch hunt, resembling 1930s Germany, trying to find someone to blame for our own idiocy? Who's turn is it to play scapegoat? Who is really to blame? Even the local population of illegal migrants is disappearing as jobs disappear. So, i guess it wasn't the Mexicans, hmmm? Several of our friends families have splintered as men follow jobs in other areas, leaving behind wives and children to struggle on as best they can, waiting for the call home, and the letter with money in it. How do we help each other come out of this mess? How do we make sure the guilty parties don't get a chance to do this to us again?

Honestly, i no longer even care who is to blame, i just want to know how to fix it.

How do we create new jobs in this environment of fear? How do we make people and companies feel that it is safe to bet on America again? How do we weed out the corruption of millionaire ceo's and cfo's?

what can i, the individual, caught up in this mess herself, do to help fix it?

the return and etc

2009-04-02T22:29:00.000-07:00

so we are home, and have been for about a week now. we came home to a beautifully clean house, and dinner in the slow cooker... thanks mom. i knew there would be excellent reasons to live across the street from her.

i am back to the school grind, spring term has begun and i am working hard to do well. i think i am well on my way to a successful term.

Chris, well, i haven't said much about what was going on for him. just days before he had to fly to Florida for his dads heart attack and subsequent death, Chris lost his job. so we are struggling to hold on to everything, house payments and car payments and all that crap. sigh.

so, lots of crap happening, just trying to deal with each thing, one at a time and not let myself become overwhelmed. i am being marginally successful at that. marginally.

on a side note, to all of you who knew and loved our blog friend Hoss, we too mourned his passing. i will not be removing his link from my list of blogs i frequent, so if you did not know him, or his wit, hop on over to the old horsetail snake, read his stuff, and say farewell to another great man.

grief

2009-03-19T08:20:00.000-07:00

for those of you who have been following the family news (yeah i know, i haven't posted it here before today) : we lost papa Harley yesterday. he was just 54.
he had been in the hospital for about 2 weeks after suffering a series of heart attacks. Chris has been in Florida for the duration, with Indy and i following a few days later as things looked more serious than originally thought.
I wont eulogize him here, not yet. i don't feel like i have that right, what with the services being a few days away and my words not having the meaning that his mother's, or his brother's, or his childrens' will have. but, in the coming days, weeks, months and years, his loss will be felt keenly by our family.
Indy's daddy is Jerry's son. Those long ago summers of fishing poles, the moist Florida heat scented with citrus blossoms, the memories only father and son can make together, Indy's daddy will pass those down, and Papa Harley will live in his heart until the time comes to pass them on to his own sons.
Not a eulogy, it's the circle i guess.

Kitchen Kitchen Kitchen

2009-03-07T17:52:00.001-08:00

i didn't take before pictures, on the area i did, but this is what the other part looked like before:

Pretty icky.

So i did this:
I am still working on it... here's the work in progress:

more later

fair is fair

2009-03-02T13:22:00.000-08:00

Below you will find a copy of the email i sent to Bruse Starr, the fellow who wrote the pit bull ban bill. Following that letter you will find his reply to me. In my email to him i told him that if he would respond to him, i would share his words with my concerned friends and family members. so here it is:

From: Misti [mailto:dakotajh@yahoo.com] Sent: Sunday, March 01, 2009 11:25 PMTo: SEN Starr BSubject: pit bull ban

We will fight this.
Don't you have better things to do with your time than bother about my dog? (i would attach a picture of our beautiful angel,but no one opens attachments that they don't know where came from because of jerks and viruses)

With unemployment over 9% in my beloved state, with record numbers of Oregonians seeking food boxes from emergency services. With school budgets being slashed, police and emergency services stretched to their limits, services to seniors and disabled people being cut, and a healthcare crisis... all you can do is look into my backyard to see what breed my dog is. Um, thanks for working to help our state in its time of need. Outlawing or Killing my dog will help our state so much. (thats sarcasm, in case you didnt catch it)

For your information, so you can knock on my door first when you feel like going on your pet murdering spree; my dog is a cur. he is a pit bull-bull dog mix. he is best friends to a three year old boy, he's a little overweight, he limps a bit (before we got him, he was hit by a car, his front leg didn't heal correctly, and he has only one of his own tendons in his back leg-the others being artifical). he eats everything, toys, basketballs, pillows, and anything that falls off of our plates; sometimes things still ON our plates. We bribe him with cookies to get him to bark... he does't do it much or even very loud, since he spent 6 months in a crate, imbolized as he healed. He palys along the fence line with the neighbors German Shepard. We adopted him from a Pit Bull rescue organization. He is even neutered and has all his shots. He walks on his leash around the block with me. I pick up his poop in a plastic bag, then i bring it home wih me. I feel safe with him in our home.
Please, remember when you bring your swat team to my door, that my husband is a service connected disabled veteran, who's injury while training to defend his country and people like you's freedom to make stupid laws, will bother him all of his life. My brother lives with us, he has cerebral palsy... if you have bioethics, you might want to take him out, too. we may have a foster child in the home, since we often take in troubled children. My teenager might be here, on his way to Golf team practice; My young republican, Oracle student, winner of Rebel pride for excellence in child development. He wants to go into law, and government. Try to come when he is here, so he can see his government in action, makin a positive difference in the lives of the people who live in our great state. Maybe you can stop at his father's house, too. There are a couple pits at that home too. There may be a gun in my home, since we all believe in the 2nd ammendment. Most of my friends and family have concealed weapons permits. There may be a toddler in the house, my little one has play school a couple times a week, so try to come kill his dog while he is in playschool. Then maybe i can tell him his baby ran away; I wouldn't want to tell him that someone who doesn't know us, doesnt care about us, doesnt want his best friend to live. Personally, i am no one. I am a nursing student, i sit on a local board of directors (as in i VOLUNTEER) for a non-profit group that helps our town. I helped create neighborhood watch groups in two local neighborhoods in the past few years. I care for my husband's handicapped mother. We are buying the house across the street from my parents. We are just a regular family, active in our community, loyal to our nation, proud of our state (usually).

So, my point? A fellow like you, a senator from washington county, I am betting you dont give a darn about my family, my friends, my life... you just want to kill a member of my family because he didnt have the good sense to be born a Rottweiler. You may think he's an animal, a pet... he isn't. He is OUR dog. He lives here. he is as much a part of this family as myself or my son or my brother. He hasnt hurt anyone. Why do you get to punish him without him committing a crime? We cant keep sexual predators in prison, but we can kill pit bulls. priorities man.

i would humbly ask you to email me, to open a dialogue on why you think this is needed, how you think it will help our state in its time of financial hardship, and i will be pleased to show my friends and family and concerned neighbors your words. I would love to introduce you to Bosco, show you were we are comin from. I doubt you will reply. i doubt you will even read this email. Probably some unpaid intern will have to read this, maybe i will get an automated "thank you" crap message. Sigh. i doubt my family, my dog, matters to you. after all, we aren't in your district, we dont vote for you.

His Response:

Dear Misti:

Thank you for your email letter.
I appreciate hearing from you and your opinion on the proposed legislation. Your email provides a lot of information.
Often, requests come from constituents to draft legislation and that is the case with this bill. With all the challenges facing Oregon and the issues that the Legislature is dealing with this year, this issue is one that is not a priority for me. It was introduced at the request of a constituent and I have no intention to pursue it.
Again, thank you for taking the time to write and good luck with your nursing career.

Sincerely,

Bruce W. Starr
Oregon State Senate
District 15 sen.brucestarr@state.or.us503-986-1715

my only concern about his response? if you dont plan on pusuing it, why write it? Pacifying a constituent? spoon feed the sheep and hope it will go away? sigh. i dont understand politics.

Bosco

2009-03-01T23:40:00.000-08:00

I do not have a wide readership That's all right with me. I am not a political blog, nor an informative one. I don't try to sell products. I don't tell people how to look younger, lose weight, live their lives, etc. Mostly, i am here, on the web, to talk about my family. I share pictures of my sons, my dog, my brothers and talk about my friends, family, and our lives. We share first steps, first days of school, first girlfriends, and golf schedules. I am a mommy blogger. I happily admit it. I don't usually get long winded about a cause. Today, that changes.

I am involved in my community. I sit on a board for a local non-profit that helps our community provide good, clean, safe low income housing. I parent my children, and even on occasion take in other people's troubled children (and kids from troubled homes). I cheer my young Republican's individuality. I cheer my younger son's independence. My husband served in the US Army. My near brother, who shares our home, has cerebral palsy. I hold my best friend when she tells me her husband has a girlfriend. I sit for hours on the telephone listening to the health complaints of my ailing mother in law. I am just a regular person. Sometimes i can be a wonderful friend, other times, not so much. Sometimes i can be a wonderful parent, other times i lose my patience and daddy has to take over. I am not a bad person, but the state of Oregon has a bill floating out there that would make me one.

Mostly, I am nobody special. just another worker drone, tryin to keep home and family together. Sometimes family has a larger meaning. Family can be my near-brother, who isn't really a brother at all. Family can be the wounded girl who came into our home and hearts, and just wasn't ready for mainstream life yet. Family can be the brother whom i was fortunate enough to reunite with. Family can be the man who loves my mother and did his best by me, who i call dad, even though he isn't. Family can be the girl i have called best friend and sister since the 7th grade, or even the girl from the 6th grade. Family can be our dog, Bosco, who shares his love and patience with us all.

Where am i goin with all this? Well... there is a bill currently heading for committee in the Oregon State Senate that would outlaw Bosco's very existence. Yep, there is this idiot from Washington County who thinks that what would be really good for Oregon, for my family, during this financial crisis, while thousands of Oregonians are losing their homes and relying on emergency services for the very food they eat; what would be really good for us while we lose our jobs, our homes, our dignity, when school budgets are slashed, police and emergency services stretched to the breaking point... you know what would be great for Oregon?!?!?! lets ban pit bulls. not just pit bulls, lets ban dogs that LOOK LIKE pit bulls. and lets fine anyone who doesn't comply 6500 bucks, throw them in jail for a year, and KILL THEIR DOG, too. oh sure, if you already own one, you can go pay a fat fee and register your dog like he is a sex offender just released from prison (oh wait,tons of our Oregon sex offenders don't register, move without saying, or don't go to jail at all). Let's make owning a pit bull worse than being a rapist! The dog doesn't have to do anythin wrong, doesn't have to bark at all hours, doesn't have to bite, doesn't have to act the least bit viscous, doesn't have to be pit bull at all... just look like one. That's Bosco's crime. He looks like a pit bull. Who cares that he is about the most loving dog on the planet. Some other pit bull owner sucked and now its my problem, my dogs fault. He is a member of this family and i will stick by my dog and i will be at the public hearing when they occur in Salem. I will get involved and fight for my right to have the dog of my choice in my home as my companion.

if you think this fellow, this Sen. Bruce Starr is an idiot, i urge you to look further into this matter. I urge you to email him, write him, call him... here's his web page : http://www.leg.state.or.us/starrb/

let him know that you, too, love Bosco. let him know that BSL (breed specific legislation) is wrong. Do your research, i did. (i could put in half a dozen links here, but honestly, i am tired, i am cold, and i am angry, so probably not the best time to start tryin to code in click able links)

Bosco is a great dog. He is Indiana's best friend. he has done nothing wrong. Why is it okay to kill him? he has more dignity and right to life than many of the politicians making up stupid useless laws that wont help our state when we need it the most, how we need it most.

politics: (n) from latin. poli meaning many, tics being blood sucking pests.

School and Golf:

2009-02-25T22:40:00.000-08:00

Indy started play-school about three weeks ago.

I didn't say much about it before because we wanted to see how he took to it before we told everyone. If he wasn't ready we would have just pulled him out and tried again next year. Turns out, He loves it! His little girlfriend Kaitlyn, from the old neighborhood (go back to pics of last summer, you will find a beautiful little blond girl... that's her) she goes to school with him. There are ten kids total in the class and Indy is loosening his grip on Katie now and getting to know the other children. So the pic is off Indy, waiting to be chauffeured to his first day of school.

He manfully struggles from bed at 615 every Monday and Wednesday morning for a trip to South Albany high School's child development center. We pick him up around 1230 in the afternoon. This week he will actually be going on his first field trip. The class will be going to see the Linn Benton Community College production of Charlotte's web. The play isn't on a normal school day for him, but he gets to go anyways. Hooray for extra mom homework time for me.

More exciting news from the world of Golf.

We got the call today.

Duck has made it through this round of cuts.

More try-outs Friday.

Keep those fingers crossed, and keeping thinking Varsity thoughts.

We are so proud of him for making it this far through the try-outs.

If he makes the varsity squad as a sophomore, well, even better!

sharing a picture

2009-02-23T11:00:00.001-08:00

I just love this picture.

We had popped down to Fiddlers green to play golf and i got a few shots in before and during their round.

We are all crossing our fingers for Varsity Golf Team this year! I look forward to visiting some of Oregon's great golf courses to cheer (quietly... it is golf you know) for my #1 son.

Hes a nice looking conservative republican who plays golf and knows his way around a computer... he's going to make a ton of money when he's all grown up.

chubby goes to the park:

2009-02-22T09:05:00.000-08:00

Lets go to the park... park, park, park, park, park.... YEAAAAAAH park! pose for pictures with my boy... then we can PLAY!OH YES! chase, chase, chase, chase, lemme go! i wanna chase the wood ducks...
Oh, yeah... my boy has the right idea.

feed them, lure them in close with food then :

CHASE THEM! Good Boy! Chase the seagulls... chase, chase, chase.

WE LOVE THE PARK!

GRRRRRR, more pictures. I could be in the lake bothering those ducks. Car ride time, it must be time to go home and get my reward...ah, when I am a good boy at the park i get the best treats!

It's great to spend a day at the park.

Jeff Hardy... disappoints.

2009-02-17T17:32:00.001-08:00

Jeff Hardy and the rest of the WWE were in Portland yesterday (and today). Jeff was scheduled to sign autographs from noon to 2pm yesterday in Gresham, so we all played hooky and went to the city. We arrived 30 minutes or so before the signing was to start and stood patiently in line in 35 degree temperatures with 20 mile per hour wind gusts blowing Indy nearly off of his feet. At 5 minutes to 1, after waiting in line about an hour and a half, the doors were locked and we were told that because there were so many people he was going to quit signing early. Small children cried outside the door. We watched several Little boys in their Hardy gear, clutching their Jeff hardy action figures sobbing as their mothers dragged them away.

Indy didn't understand how his hero could not want to see him.

Anyhow, after the doors were locked the powers that be decided to let Jeff walk the crowd. Indy and the multitudes began shouting "Hardy Hardy Hardy". As Jeff began making his way toward us, we were pushed and shoved out of the way by several adults and even a few children and Indy wasn't even able to high five his favorite wrestler.

However, Indy was mostly all right when (in this crowd shot, Indy is in the red jacket and Jeff is the fellow with the purple hair)he realized he had come within 5 feet of Jeff. He saw Jeff and got to chant his name.

The wrestling match is scheduled for tonight (it starts about an hour from the time i write this). We couldn't afford to go. Life happens i guess, but it bothers me a lot that a fellow like Jeff hardy, who is an idol to tons and tons of little kids, quits early and just says, "sorry too many people want me". I know that he isn't a role model; i know that just because he is a celebrity he doesn't have an obligation to my child. But i didn't like being the one to explain to my three year old why Jeff Hardy didn't want to say hello to him. Indy didn't want an autograph to sell on eBay, he didn't want a lock of hair, or a commentary on the world. He just wanted the chance to tell his hero how much he was loved by one small boy, how much he was admired for his high flying flips and daring-wrestling-do.

The thing about little fans like Indy, he doesn't care if Jeff isn't the champion anymore. He gets mad on Jeff's behalf when Matt smacks Jeff with a chair. The little fan is in the backyard, leaping off the trampoline shouting "Look at me mom, I'm Jeff Hardy". The little fan is at toys-r-us saying, "no mom, i only want a Jeff Hardy one, i don't like the other guys, they stink!" The little fan says Brian Kendrick is a "darn dirty cheater", because no way he could have beat Jeff without cheating. The little fan has a Jeff Hardy poster over his bed, because Jeff Hardy watches over him while he sleeps and doesn't let the monsters or nightmares get in (Indy says Jeff Hardy beats them up).

I guess , bottom line, is that i don't like that Jeff made Indy feel not important enough. When Indy asked, with tears in his eyes, why Jeff didn't want to see him, we told Indy that Jeff really wanted to see him, but there were so many other people that Jeff just couldn't. We told Indy we were SURE that had Jeff realized Indy was there, he would have made that effort for him, that even Jeff Hardy knows how special Indiana is. We told Indy that it was mommy's fault because she didn't get to the place at 5 am, like the folks in the front of the line. So, Jeff's still a hero and mommy is the bad guy.

that sucks. thanks, Jeff.

Google:

2009-02-16T08:34:00.001-08:00

The ferret belongs to Tooti (Indy's maternal grandma, for those who don't know all of our nicknames). It's name is google, because it searches all over the house, like a search engine, for anything that might be yummy and interesting. Indy adores Google. The feeling is fairly mutual... as much as a ferret can adore anyone.

this is what 35 looks like

2009-02-08T13:12:00.001-08:00

Enough said i guess: I turned thirty five yesterday, so i got a more "mature" haircut; the first in many years. It is definately short. The salon comped my haircut because i donated the cut hair(totalling slightly over 14 inches) to locks of love!

Middle Age: here i come!

what we've been up to

2009-02-04T13:50:00.001-08:00

It seems like family life rolls along quickly some times. Even without foster children in the home now, my time is constantly in demand. School is going well, or as well as can be expected.

Duck got an award at school the other night, for being just an awesome kid (actually it was for being an intern with the school' child development program). I am just so proud of him. Proud of both of my boys... anyone who has read this blog before already knows that, i guess.

Indy has his own moment of drama. He and Duck were chasing around the house when Indy tripped and hit the sliding plate glass door with his head. He survived it without even a bump or bruise but the door wasn't so lucky. The glass folks will be replacing it next week.

Chris is planning for his solo trip home and for the upcoming visit of his friend, now our friend, Richard. we always enjoy his visits as a chance to sight-see in my favorite state (the one we live in!) I love being able to show off my home. Hopefully i will be able to show Oregon off again this summer, but i do have summer classes that may preclude my participation.

So, all is as well as i can reasonably expect. I'm content with that.

wowza:

2009-01-16T10:43:00.000-08:00

Well, it seems like ages since i was here, updating anyone who cared to know, on our lives. Life gets so busy sometimes. It seems there is barely time to catch my breath some days. However: Indy and I took some mother-son time yesterday. We just up and left the house, no real destination in mind, no school work or housework following me, no telephone. We ended up at a nearby duckpond. It's no Waverly lake (the duck pond near our old house) but it is a nice area. Officially its called something like "Periwinkle Watershed". It's a nice bike path/walking trail along a canal type stream that ends at Grand Prairie Park. Anyways, the ducks aren't shy. (Sure the pic of Indy isn't the best, but you can really get the idea of how friendly and close the ducks get... they take the bread right from your hand!)

So... what else have we been up to? Well, we went to the bike shop, we go there a lot actually... Chris should be able to get his Ninja soon, so we spend a lot of our limited spare time haunting all of the motorcycle shops in a 100 mile radius of our home. We finally found one we like about 30 miles from us (maybe a little closer) out in Sublimity, Oregon called Power Yamaha. They have only been a cow (Kawasaki) dealer for a short time, but they are our favorite dealership for service, ease of travel, friendliness of staff, and a great deal/price. Woot, I am a testimonial, lol.

We also got out up to the falls the other day. Silver Creek Park is a wonderful place to visit and explore. Some of you may recall the last time we visited (Chris's friend Richard was here... Indy and I went with him and another friend). This visit, it SNOWED on us. We went into the lodge and had a nice hot cocoa and a pastry, and tried to stay warm. Chris and Indy in hoodies and me in shirt sleeves, not even thinking to take a jacket (as it was 50 degrees out when we left home). Anyhow... The volume of water was just astounding. The folks in the lodge said it was the good old Pineapple Express ...

These two pictures are of the EXACT SAME WATERFALL... the tree is the same (the branches in the upper pick belong to the tree in the lower pick)... the difference, a year and a weather pattern. wow! we had fun anyways, playing in the snow and freezing our bums off. I got tons of photos but i am running out of time today... perhaps i can get more picture sup later... maybe i can do a photo bucket slide show or something.

See ya'll again soon!

words of wisdom:

2009-01-10T22:10:00.001-08:00

Oobi says "messing up is just life"
Indy says "messing up is just life, that's why i don't have a life!"

wow.

Mommy thinks i'm adorable

2008-12-07T18:26:00.000-08:00

Wow...

I thought this picture turned out beautifully. Indy is a great model, but still, it isn't often that i can get one of those shots that looks nearly professional.

Coming later: pics with Santa.

ho ho ho

2008-12-07T11:19:00.000-08:00

we have our tree up...

our shopping half complete...

today, we go see SANTA!

(again)

It's that time of year. The tree looks beautiful, but will it survive three weeks? I didn't put popcorn or candy canes on it, so at least the dog isn't trying to eat it. He eats EVERYTHING. Indy doesn't even have nightmares anymore... he says that the dog ate all the monsters and aliens. We are searching high and low for the perfect gifts for our friends and loved ones. i got the PERFECT gift for my girl Arica... when we bought it i couldn't stop laughing. Not often does a gift tickle me this way. So, I am well pleased with hers.... now if i could get everyone else's just right, too.

they say it aint over til its over BUT

2008-11-29T19:39:00.000-08:00

OMG...

it still isnt over...

3 minutes to go...

the score?

65-31!!!

WOOT DUCKS!

Duck - Duck- Duck - Duck - Goose!

2008-11-21T16:48:00.000-08:00

DUCK ... DUCKDUCK... DUCK... PLACE KICKER!

Duck got to go to a Duck home game! Ducks won!

Civil War is coming!

Indy, being only 3, doesn't understand that Civil War is a football game... he thinks its "Army" WAR...

If the Duck's can beat the Beav's in the civil war, they will stop the Beavers from being the #1 team in the Pac-10 and CRUSH their Rose Bowl hopes. GO DUCKS!

QUACK ATTACK

2008-11-11T11:09:00.000-08:00

Shooting at the range!

We don't even let this kid cut his own meat and yet, here he is with a .38

Go Figure.

life continues along:

2008-11-07T09:26:00.000-08:00

So, i cant seem to get the camera-computer link thingy right today... so all the sweet pictures i took of the dog, the kid, the house and the leaves will have to wait. in the mean time... i have homework out the wazu, housework that needs done before the heath inspector condemns us, a doc to visit a dentist to fear and well all manner of stuff to attend to.

so much to do, so little time to do it!

2008-10-20T22:05:00.000-07:00

So, lots going on for us. Firstly, that small accident i had while playing ball in the park with Duck before i moved... the results of the mri came back today: I have three tendons detached, and since the muscles are not working properly, and i didn't stay off my knee and rest like i was supposed to, i did further damage to my leg, chiefly the fracture of my lower left thigh bone. I go into the orthopedist on the 28th for the next step in my healing plan. I am hoping to avoid arthroscopic surgery, but if the worst happens, so be it.

On the subject of my health... Wednesday the 29th i go back to the dentist for the removal of two upper right teeth (back near the molars numbers 2 and 4) eventually the dentist will remove most, if not all of my top teeth and provide me with either a full or partial plate. The pattern of decay is consistent with radiation therapy side effects, lest anyone think i am just bad at hygiene.

I am full of drugs atm... trazadone for sleep, percocet for pain, vicadin for pain, and cylndamiacin (an antibiotic required before oral surgery... i am allergic to pennicillin)

Ducks health: Brother Duck is allergic to bee stings. SO am I. SO is his dad. So is just about everyone on his dads side of the family. How do we know for sure? His arm, from the tips of his fingers to the elbow is swollen to like 4 times normal size! He will be ok, but they gave him an inhaler and some other stuff and said, holy crap, SEVERE reaction.

On to pleasanter topics... we finalized the adoption of our dog. Bosco is now one of us...

He keeps Indy safe and warm at night!

yet more happening! Our new daughter (well, in some ways we are just so proud of her we could burst into song... like she did tonight at her concert)

We are dealing with some of her issues and trying to make her placement in our home work out for all of us.

And... so of you may know, others may not... I returned as a full time online student at our local community college... current grade: one A and 3 solid Bs.

theres more, but it will have to wait.

there is a season...

2008-10-06T21:34:00.000-07:00

I have a legitimate reason for not blogging lately. I swear, I do.

There have been many changes going on for us, and life has gotten so busy. So here it is, the REASON for not blogging in a while: WE MOVED! we got so very lucky, we have the best landlords and a lease/option chance to buy our own home! The house is three doors down and across the street from my mom. So, Indy gets to grow up with grandpa and Tooti so close! I admit, we have been here a week and a day, but with packing the old place and unpacking the new one, getting Ana (We have guardianship of Anastasjia, now) in school, and settled with buses, it's been a busy time.

We also got Indy a dog. His name is Bosco, and we all LOVE him. He gets along with all the people and pets that come in and out of our home (well he doesn't get along with Barbossa, but then, who does). We figure we can gradually continue to introduce the two of them and hopefully one day they can be buddies.

So, anyways, i will share more pictures of our house and our dog and as always Indy and the rest of our "motley crue" later... thanks for your patience!

i'm a horrible blogger... i admit it:

2008-09-07T14:37:00.000-07:00

I used to be so good about daily or near daily pictures and commentary on our lives. Lately, i don't know why, but i just haven't been able to get into it. I have some great new pictures, but i just don't get them posted. I have some interesting thoughts, but don't get them put down. I never could keep a diary for thee same reason; fits and starts, ya know?
anyways, here's a picture:This picture of Indiana, his daddy, and our current "foster" child, Anastasia was taken at Historic Nye Beach in Newport, Oregon

Amish Paradise:

2008-08-27T12:03:00.000-07:00

My mom drove her pretty car out to Uncle Warren's place where Warren took Indy for a pony cart ride! Spoiled kid.

life flight (reach) helicopter:

2008-08-13T20:29:00.000-07:00

This year's safety fair, held lat Saturday, had a BIG BIG attraction... Sure, we still had the fire truck and the police cars, and a K9 cop demonstration and the rescue boats, but this year we had a LIFE FLIGHT HELICOPTER!The crew was ready for Indiana, a helmet waiting just for him...Let's look a little closer at this helmet, just to show you what i mean by "ready": See... it's got his name right on the helmet!

Indy even got to take his turn in the co-pilots seat!

Honestly, it was just awesome! we enjoyed all the events and demonstrations, we learned a few new things... like how to make watermelon salsa! We watched firefighters climb a ladder truck, we watched the county k9 unit run through his commands, we enjoyed a massage from the local YMCA, and laughed our butts off as Oncle Nate put on the "drunk goggles" and tried to run the obstacle course.

On a different note...

Last night we had our neighborhood watch formation meeting... i have lots to do as leader of the new neighborhood, but its all worth it. We have a wonderful neighborhood. Most of the hard work has been done in the last few years, getting the drugs and alcohol out of our park and making it a safe place for our children to play, and all of us who live here have been getting to know one another.

off the course:

2008-08-03T19:16:00.001-07:00

Although the pictures frame of reference may not be immediately obvious, it is my favorite amongst the pictures taken at the golf course today. Indy was looking through the "slice net" that protects innocent viewers from Oncle Nate's golf swing:

He's just a beautiful baby.

a good time was had by all:

2008-08-02T22:57:00.000-07:00

We had a GREAT time bowling!

We received a coupon in the snail mail good for a free game at the local AMF bowling alley (up to ten bowlers, shoe rental not included). So, we loaded up into two cars with seven people and off we went! It was awesome, we danced under the black lights, and rolled balls down two lanes for nearly two hours! Anastasia took this video for us... and although normally it wouldn't see the light of day, since i am in it... bowling a big fat gutter ball, it is just so fun of Indy and his daddy that i had to share it. (Anastasia is a wonderful teen-aged neighbor girl of ours... Nate, his girl Volinda, as well as our fun neighbor Tina rounded out of group of rowdy bowlers.)

Tomorrow: the new Italian place in town!

its time for ten things about ME again!

2008-07-28T17:32:00.000-07:00

Yes, that's right... the perpetually self absorbed mother of fabulous sons has decided once again to tell the world (ok the whole world doesnt read this mommie blog, but they should) some facts about herself:

1) I am 34 years old and it took me a damned long time to like myself, but now i do. I am not real concerned about people who dont.

2) I am returning to the world of higher education this fall, after a 13 year sabattical. I intend pursing my RN degree so that i can continue to care for my mother in law as her medical conditions deteriorate.

3) I do not currently have a valid drivers liscence. I didn't miss it until we bought the new PT Cruiser. now i think its time for me to drive again.

4) I am a slacker. There is always so very much for me to do, and often i dont get it done, just because... but thats ok, as i age, the memories of time on the porch with friends and family will be better than the memories of laundry washed and folded.

5) I am currently married to a southern redneck who can backyard barbeque like nobody's business. (i have been married a couple of other times as well, but they couldnt grill like chris can)

6) I go through periods of "obsession". I find a song i like and listen to it over and over, i find a place i like to eat and go no where else for days, i find an author i like and compulsively read all of their work.

7) Contrary to popular opinion, i am not an idiot. i have found the center for my focus and dont pay a lot of attnetion to things outside my mein. it works for me.

8) I currently reside in Oregon. I was born in this very town actually, although i have not lived here my whole life. i did get out, i just chose to return.

9) i cant think of very much else interesting about myself... but i can think of a millino things about my children... go figure.

10) i spent almost an hour trying to come up with 10 things about myself... and had to cheat on two of them, so i think i will now go think about myself for a while. oh wait...

Swing Baby!

2008-07-24T21:15:00.000-07:00

It's all about Big Bad Voodoo Daddy tonight!

Riding Double:

2008-07-24T13:03:00.000-07:00

Indy took his best girlfriend out for a gallop on the neighbors wooden horse. The two rode double up and down the sidewalk for ages, chasing butterflies and kittens and other children.
All the laughter and shouts of glee reminded me of my fortune that i am able to stay home with him, and not miss these moments.

Sometimes we grumble about not having that second income. It's hard to see our friends with extra cash to play golf or see a movie or buy a new CD; i feel bad that i cant afford to take my kids out to lunch or shopping at the mall, but really... it's worth it. There's always a picnic of homemade sammies (sandwiches) at the park across the street, and it's nearly free to walk to the lake a few blocks away and feed them old bread (there is a bread outlet near here that will sell a grocery bag full of "animal feed" bread for a dollar!). Ice tea is inexpensive to make and wonderful to sip on the porch.

So, we aren't living in a big house, with an even bigger mortgage. So, we aren't driving matching Expeditions. So, we spend less time in restaurants than our contemporaries... less time on the golf course than our friends. We have Indy, riding double with his girlfriend on a borrowed stick horse. I feel bad for my friends... i am sipping tea on my porch watching my baby play and grow and learn and share and THRIVE, they are at work.

Parkrose Paint Party '08:

2008-07-21T14:54:00.001-07:00

We had a heck of a volunteer crew come out and help College Pro Painters!

We had a great time. There was a whole herd of us painting, talking, trimming, eating, babysitting and just getting together in a wonderful community effort to make our homes look beautiful. Even Indy got to do the painting bit...Honestly, it warms my heart to see our neighbors come out and help one another. Today it was suggested that we might do a small community vegetable garden next year. we have our first neighborhood watch meeting to start our group next month. and we have our community safety fair coming up, too! Great Things are happening in our neighborhood!

Oh, and I am being put forward as a resident/candidate to sit on our board of directors for our partnership housing community. Wow.

Keeping the boy(s) busy:

2008-07-19T15:46:00.000-07:00

Well, Duck says (and i quote), "I DON'T DO WORK!"

Indy, on the other hand, had a great time painting. Our neighborhood partnership had lots of volunteers to paint the buildings in our community. We all received t-shirts, and a nice lunch was provided. Tomorrow the paint crew (and of course all of us neighbor-hood volunteers) will be finishing the trim on my neighbors home and beginning on our house! Hopefully i will have more and better pictures to share then.

WOW!

2008-07-18T09:03:00.000-07:00

i LOVE LOVE LOVE this picture:

Duck, Indy, and Desiree... aren't they adorable! (i didn't take the picture, no. and for those not in the know: that pretty girl sitting next to my sons is Duck's girl.... i kept asking for a picture of them to share and he came through for me)

may you live in interesting times:

2008-07-08T12:24:00.000-07:00

So, as i mentioned before, we all who live here were given notices that there were to be no fireworks in our community due to extreme fire danger. The neighborhood parents didn't listen and let their children play with fireworks anyway. Through their negligence and lack of supervision of their children, we had a small fire.
The children (not Indy obviously since he is only three and supervised to the nines) lit a firework that got away from them, scorching the back fence and fire-ing a small patch of running from the back fence clear to the back road. the fire department came out to put out the remaining flames and hot spot or two... Random passersby helped put out the fire on the road side, and neighbors with pitchers of water from their homes put out most of the fire on our side of the fence. It would have been easier to extinguish if our exterior faucets worked, but the property managers deactivated the faucets to keep residents from washing cars and having swimming pools or watering the back yards.

no one was hurt, and the culprit(s) were not formally apprehended, although all the children in the neighborhood are talking about who did it. The day following the fire, after the police, fire fighters and apartment managers had come and gone, all who were involved in talking to the police (again except us) had their cars vandalized, presumably by the fire-starter(s). I assume we were left unmolested because most of the children in the area adore Indy, accept me, and fear Chris's wrath.

Let's Catch Up:

2008-07-05T20:10:00.000-07:00

Sometimes, we get so busy in our lives, we just flat out lose touch. So, here's what's been going on in our lives in the last month or so:

My mother turned 60! Thankfully she doesn't read Indy's blog often enough to kill me for this photograph i took of her on her birthday (we went to the Rose Test Garden in Portland and took the train to the Oregon Zoo! The zoo currently has a cool animatronic dinosaur exhibit... Indy LOVED it (yes, i know, his face is dirty, but oh so cute!) And i always love the way the fish exhibit pictures turn out, the shadow and light giving an interesting silhouette: Portland's rose garden is pretty impressive when in full bloom. I took tons and tons of pictures of the roses, but , as you can guess, my favorite has the smiling boy in it: The views from there are pretty impressive, too (our visit was on a beautifully clear day and we saw mt hood and Mt St Helen's in their glory... for those that don't know, St Helen's is the one with the flat top, as she erupted when i was a kid on May 18, 1980)

So, then for a week or so we did lots of just hanging around with friends and playmates. Our wonderful neighbor, Barb, has welcomed her daughter back from California. She comes back with her own Daughter, Zoe, who is 6 years old. Indy still prefers his girlfriend Kaitlyn, but enjoys the attention of an "older woman" as well!

Then, of course, on to the fourth of July. We shot fireworks with the kids in the neighborhood one night (the next day receiving a letter from the landlords that we were no longer permitted to do them in the neighborhood... something about fire and peaceful enjoyment... good thing we did it BEFORE we got the notice, hmmmm)

On the Fourth, we went to the "Lumberjack breakfast" put on by the Lion's Club... It was great food, and good company, as we went with John's parents. It's a very popular event, and soon to be a tradition with us, as this is the second year in a row we attended:

It isn't an easy time for the Leys and Wood clans right now, with the loss of David, but the family is strong and knows how to rally together in tragedy. Karen said that Indy's smiles and laughter help. He loves her; heck he loves the whole family... John's uncle John, the hamburger man; John's aunt Ruth, with the fishes; John's dad, who will swing and run the sprinkler even when its a thousand degrees outside and honestly he doesnt want to; and John's mom, Karen, whom i cant say enough positive things about. For the rest, well... i forgot to take the camera to Duck's house, and Heidi's house as well, so no pictures of Duck and his pretty girlfriend.

And of course today was the memorial for David. Although i stayed teary eyed throughout, i smiled a lot, thinking of what i knew of him, and what others recalled. So, for the last bit of today's catch up post, i want to share a couple memories of a man who's life was cut too short:

My first solid memory of David was a night John and i spent carousing at the T&R. We had actually gone there because i heard an ex of mine was bouncing there, and i was playing stalker. John and i were probably 21 or 22, and we went to the tavern/club there with David and the other cousin, Jeremy. John and i proceeded to drink heavily and ditch David and Jeremy... David never held it against me. Jeremy never talked to me again.

All these years later, David would come by and chat and we would reminisce about this friend or that, sometimes he would talk about the demons in his head, and how he coped. He talked to me about his songs he was writing and the poems he wanted to write. He talked to me about what a great cousin John was to him, and how Kimmie Bishop down the street was like a sister to him. He told me what a "little cocksucker" Jeremy was. (David never cussed, so i sat open-mouth stunned when he said that!) He always called me beautiful, and it always made me blush, even though i KNEW he called all women beautiful. I hope that one day i will hear his song

You see, last time i saw David, he told me he was writing a song for me, and he would come back another day and sing it to me when it was finished. i never saw him again.

condolences to a friend's family:

2008-07-01T08:50:00.000-07:00

my explanation, quickly, of why i haven't recently blogged: the printer isn't hooked up to our pc at the moment... that's where the camera card reader is. thus, i cant access the pictures with the pc meaning i cant put up any new pics of Indy and Duck up here... and we all know the real reason ya'll come here isn't to hear me ramble, its for the pictures!

today i decided i would ramble a little and show an old picture of a friend.
I met David years ago. His cousin John was dragging him around somewhere, or maybe it was the going away party, or maybe later it was a bar. the "when" is lost in the mists. David was a nice man, with a big heart, who life didn't play fair with.
i heard this morning that he left us last night.
I will miss his occasional rides past my home: he would ride his bicycle around town, and if we were out on the porch he would pull up and chat. we had him over for a few bbq's last summer and he was even at the block party for labor day weekend '07 (that's when this picture was taken). We always waved when we saw him walking his sister's dog. We weren't close friends, but i feel the nice guy lost, just the same.
To his family and loved ones, I'm sorry for your loss.

posting

2008-06-18T11:32:00.001-07:00

i havent posted lately... but i will, eventually i promise.