JustMeShann

41 lbs lost...

2011-07-07T21:37:00.000-07:00

41 lbs lost... This is the first time in 7 years that I have worn these pants! I am absolutely thrilled and doing a happy dance that these now fit and so does the shirt! Happy!

JustMeShann

2011-06-06T12:58:00.000-07:00

I am having a busy day after a very busy weekend...

I am into full speed summer school, the route changes are coming strong. I can't believe it is so hard for these people to get forms in when their deadline was April 2nd and here we are on June 6th still getting forms in for new starts. I tell you it is hard to set routes when people keep adding students that screw them up, there is no such thing as efficient when you have to route like this. The drivers keep having to call the parents with new stop times and I am sure they think we are IDIOTs after a few calls, every change causes students times to change... It is so frustrating!

Steve and I were involved in an accident this weekend in my truck. We are fine and so is the driver of the other car. She was an older lady that ran a red light and we hit her as she was crossing our lane. Needless to say my truck has right front end damage. It was pouring down rain and it was a good thing since it just slid us around instead of having a major impact from dry ground. My truck has seen better days though and I figure I will be without it for at least two weeks. I am driving a little car now (Chevy Impala) it is nice, but I hate being so low to the ground and not being able to see so far down the road. I am not a little car human...

I was late but got to go to Casey & Amy's wedding reception. I worried all day about them having the wedding outside in the tent, but in the end it turned out beautiful and I got to see the two of them before they left for their honeymoon. They are the sweetest two kids, they remind me so much of Steve and I when we were that young and starting a family... You should have seen Chelsea she looked beautiful in her outfit :)

Yesterday I spent the day cleaning out my truck, going grocery shopping, having lunch with Chelsea, working in the yard and doing laundry...

Life is good and I am feeling blessed, Shann

June 5th,2011

2011-06-05T21:33:00.000-07:00

Boone pondering the day, thankful for the sun after a long weekend of rain...

My little wooden dove...

My bottle tree creation with bottles on it...

My first sunflower of the weekend...

The yard is coming together... Soon the roses will be back in bloom adding lots of color...

Cosmos...

Fuscia is blooming and I love my chair...

My little calico darling, she is about 5 years old...

Life...

2011-06-01T08:20:00.000-07:00

I was thinking about LIFE this morning on my way to work this.
I miss watching the sun come up in the morning...
Life is so short, but in it's length it has so much meaning if you just stop and think about all that your eyes take in and your heart bears...
Today one of my friends is laying her husband to rest. He actually won the lottery in leaving this world and did it doing something he loved, though he left this world much too soon... He has a grandchild on the way that he will never see or hold and two grown boys that loved him very much... I can't imagine being a wife and loosing your best friend and that is what they were; friends... My heart aches for her...
I have another friend that lost her sweet, tall grandson this last weekend. A marine the same age as Chelsea, his life cut short in an accident. His parents are so torn and it is so sad... I can't imagine loosing either of my kids... My heart hurts for this family too...
I saw a pair walking down the street on a poor side of town this morning , her carrying all of her belongings in a suitcase with wheels, not looking even as old as me, lost to the world trying to survive the world with nothing but a suitcase... It made me wonder how many wrong choices got her to where she is today, who and what she left behind and how many wrong choices it would take for me to be in the same place... I really felt bad for her poor lost soul...
I have a close friend that is now raising her grand children because their mother is suffering from mental illness or breakdown of some kind... Knowing how hard it is to deal with mental illness my heart breaks for her knowing that it is her daughter and their is nothing she can do for her, fore they must be willing to help themselves before you can help them and she isn't their yet... She is torn and scared to be raising her grand babies... I feel for her and wish I was closer to her so I could help... Such beautiful children they are <3
Have you ever felt so blessed? I do... My life is good right now... I am enjoying my family and my life. I could do without work, but then I wouldn't have anything to complain about and my lessons in life would not be as challenging... I feel good right now, it scares me in some aspects because when I am comfortable it is usually followed by turbulence in some way or another... I am never comfortable in things running smoothly which is sad I know, but I do relish in the time I have when things are running smooth :)

Memorial Day 2011

2011-05-30T21:00:00.000-07:00

Self portrait using the remote Mike & Brandi sent me for my birthday...

Buffalo burger with mushrooms and salad...

Steve and the table he built for Rhonda... It is solid oak and huge!!

Steve's fish finished...

Carne Asada on Salad

The bottle tree I fabricated today... My first time Mig welding. I did all the cuts & bending myself and did 95% of the welding...

The Wilton vice Steve is restoring, he spent the day sand blasting it...

My bottle tree in the yard... I can't wait to put the bottles on it tomorrow...

My Weekend in May...

2011-05-22T18:54:00.000-07:00

Steve is building a solid oak planked table top for one of his clients, it is amazing and very pretty. There are no nails holding the middle of the table together, it is all done with tongue & groove. It is amazing to help him plane the wood and then come in the next day and see it turn into something of beauty. He cut all of this on the table saw which also amazes me every time he does it and especially this time with the enormity of the size.

Hand sanding every little scratch out of his beautiful project; and he doesnt think he is an artist!

The eye of my Boone... Amber Love...

Our Saturday in May...

2011-05-07T19:57:00.000-07:00

This is the succulent that I got at an estate sale yesterday. I love the color and it drapes over the pot so pretty like.

This is a chair that we got from a friend of mine and I put a screen and some moss in it's seat and added succulents...

Here is Steve and his fish he has been making. It isn't finished as of yet but I love it and all the time he has put into it... It is made of scrap metal that we have gotten at garage sales and collected over the years... A shovel head, saw blade teeth, gills and fins, chain link, re bar, nails and different materials...

May 1st, 2011 in the yard...

2011-05-01T16:46:00.000-07:00

The mud and the lower pond I have been working on... Still can't find the leak but believe it is time for a new liner... Just more work...

My avocado tree servived the winter....

My sunflowers are growing tall now that the sun is out...

Been to the Zoo,Zoo,Zoo, two times....

2011-04-15T20:34:00.000-07:00

Just a few collars I have made lately...

2011-03-29T17:40:00.000-07:00

This was made for Bubba, his dad is overseas... It is a 1/14" wide x 22" length black latigo leather...

This was made for Joe Boxer in Ohio. It is a 1" wide x 20" length black latigo leather...

Saturday spent with the Cattle Women...

2011-01-24T08:17:00.000-08:00

Chelsea and I sold collars this last Saturday at the California Women's Branding Association fundraiser. We had a great time meeting all the people and watching the events. We had a front row seats since we were setup in the arena. I think my favorite event was the sorting event. Made me want a horse instead of a quad!

This is Chelsea and I in action. I don't know why I am making the face that I am but I did sell a collar! LoL Man, I am looking old!!! What the heck...

This was the only mule at the event and I fell in love with her. Her owner taught her to cut cows and I have to say you could see all the training and time that was spent with her. Everyone was talking about her and I was excited to see her work. When she got in the ring it looked like this mule had been doing this all her life and her team cut all ten calves in 1.36 minute which brought them in, in second place!!! She got a standing ovation on this lovely mule! I wish I knew her name... I was really fun to see her work and made my day!

The fog has lifted!

2011-01-18T19:01:00.000-08:00

Look!!! The fog has lifted just in time to give me a full moon!!! (I see the moon, the moon sees me, God bless the moon and God bless me) Isn't he pretty!!! There is something about the moon...

It is cold out and sure to be colder in the morning... Just got the fire going and both pups are covered in their blankies... Boone is dreaming pup dreams barking in his sleep at the moment, the house is quiet as Steve isn't home yet...

Steve worked all day at the rental, both bathrooms now have toilets and shower doors! the garbage disposal looks like it is ready to go in and things are coming along... Our or should I say his biggest issues right now are tiling the family room and fixing the driveway...

I stayed home today because I woke up at two am too a back that was killing me, so I stayed home on the heating pad until noon doing stretches and trying to think positive on how it will feel better and so far it has worked... I am going to lay back on the heating pad when I go to bed just to try to keep things loosened up... I have fought this back issue my whole life and know if I don't give into it when it first pains me it will have me out flat for a week, so it pays to listen to the back...

I lost 3.0 lbs this week to weight watchers scale!!! Paying attention to what I put past my lips is paying off... Good for me! whoop, whoop!

That's all for now... Have a great Wednesday everyone!

Monday and I am home again and loving it...

2011-01-17T09:06:00.000-08:00

Good morning...

The dogs are fed at both house, the cats are fed and the fish pond is full, elk stew is in the crock-pot and it is time to head to Home Depot & Lowes... Life is good on this Monday

I helped Steve at the rental yesterday, we pruned trees... I am paying for it today, my shoulders and neck are not happy and so is life... We have one more tree to prune and I can't tell you how much we hate Mulberry trees, they are garbage trees with big huge roots and you can prune a whole tree of wood off them every single year! I think these two are going to get replaced with redwood trees very soon! as Steve and I have enough trees to prune at home and need not be doing it at the rental...

The dogs are asleep at my feet; I love my dogs!

Chelsea's room-mate Monica was sick last night... I think she is having gallbladder or pancreatitis issues... She went to the emergency room in a LOT of pain last night and they did test and sent her home to the words of don't eat fatty food or spicy food, or drink alcohol... I am hoping she is feeling better this morning, the poor girl...

That's all the news in my little part of the world... Have a great day everyone!

lt's Friday baby!

2011-01-14T09:38:00.000-08:00

Tonights creations with the new conchos I got in the mail... I love, love, love them! If my arm didn't hurt so much I would keep making them tonight... I love bling! It's as good as playing with glitter!

Conchos with major BLING!

It's Friday baby and I am so Hap~Hap~Happy!!!

Friday in my world consists of work... I am working the GPS (all of our vehicles have gps) against routes today to see if times are aligned, it can be a little consuming but I like doing it... The drivers are wandering around because our secondary classes are not in session so the place is rocking and rolling when it is normally quiet; makes for less productivity in my little space...

I am excited that I received my new conchos in the mail yesterday! They are like major cowgirl bling... I am hoping Steve gives me enough time to work some collars as I am excited about what I might create... You can see the new bling on my website http://www.getalongdoggy.blogspot.com/ and hit the concho page... I have a show next weekend with the Northern California Women's Branding Assoc.

So far weight watchers and I are getting along just fine... This is a good thing :)

Boone has been a little of a beast this week...

Chelsea was loving on the dogs in the living room and dropped her phone on the sofa and didn't know it. Well, Boone found it and devoured it enough where it was "dead", hole in the battery, no dial, wouldn't open and in pieces... She was not a happy camper after looking for it for an hour and then finding him having such a wonderful time with it... Then yesterday he ate the corner off one of my good sofa pillows :/

Steve is leaving them in the house during the day so they don't get cold and I think they are past the bored state and looking for anything that will amuse them; needless to say they have found some expensive amusement...

I have a three day weekend!!!!!! I think this is going to require me working at the rental with my good looking husband, probably having a sore back, knees and shoulder... And not from what you are thinking!!!!!!!!!! It is going to be from sealing a tile floor and huge shower... LoL

Weird kind of day...

2011-01-12T11:16:00.000-08:00

It is a weird kind of day today...

It is grey outside again... Grey high foggy clouds that make for a dark day... The only time I like grey days is when I get to stay home and veg in a warm house with my pups... I don't know why they bug me so as I don't have windows at work, other than knowing it is grey out I have no other way of knowing... weird I know

Somebody in the lounge fried turkey sausage and stunk the place up, it smelt awful! So I decided to burn my cake mix candle and now it is the combo of smells; blech... I hate when people cook at work and the smells wander around the building; ex specially when the drivers eat so early in the morning, it makes for a day of craving or a day of blech smells...

I switched from a quad venti latte to a grande triple latte today... I also started the Weight Watchers program and all it in tales... I need to loose weight and I need to do it now! as in step up to the plate and get off your butt and do it! I get 38 points a day on this new way of counting food... I find it amusing to say the least but need something to make me accountable for my actions... In 2002 I lost 65lbs and I am on a mission to do the same now... I don't imagine it will be as easy as last time because I am older and my body doesn't like exercise as most of my joints hurt... It is a mind set for me and right now my mind is telling me I am a bumm and I need to do something before life decides it is too late... So here I go on my own little venture to regain a little of the JustMe that I let slip... So with that said: HIGHHO!

I am doing a show on the 22nd at the Cattlewomens branding competition... Should be fun and full of women looking for bling; hope they are looking for dog bling too! I ordered more bling so I need to get my act into gear when I get home from work and put things together... Wish me luck as I am really trying to make of a go of this...

Back to work... Have a great day :)

Getting my Monday on...

2011-01-10T09:29:00.000-08:00

This weekend was pretty low key considering I sabotaged it by eating a chicken sandwich on Friday night and not feeling good the rest of the weekend because of it... I literally ate only two meals this weekend and yesterday took a nap that lasted about four hours... I feel better today...

It was cold as hell here this morning!!! 29' when I left the driveway... The sky was clear which was the first time in days which allowed the cold to creep back in... Brrrrrrrr.

I made crockpot meals this weekend and they were darn good... I made black bean, corn and salsa chicken over rice one night and baked potatoes the next... I also made elk stew with carrots, celery, potatoes and peas last night and it too was quite good too... I am loving this crockpot!

I joined weight watchers this morning... Joined it with Kerri, we will go to meetings every Tuesday... Let's hope this helps get my act together...

Chelsea made the best milk chocolate chip cookies ever this weekend!!! Steve was whining about how there were no cookies and him having her wrapped around his finger and all she made her Daddy cookies... This is probably why she gets pretty much anything she wants from him... I also helped her hang all of her Christmas cowboy & indian stuff yesterday and looks good all hung up on the walls...

Steve is almost over his head cold and I am really thankful for that, it made me nervous as hell that it was going to go into his chest...

Tomorrow is the board meeting for our district; we will find out how they are going to attack this deficit and what will effect us... I believe there will be NO more transportation for regular ed students in our district and that we will only transport special needs students, again big changes for us... I hate to see education hit so hard in our state, we already haven't spent enough time & money on education in this state in the past, and now it will be even worse causing us to fall to the bottom of the charts compared to all of the other states... It is very sad and I am glad my children are grown, but makes me sad for all those growing up now... Sad

I am going to start tackling map issues this week... Going to go where no man has gone before!!!

Happy Monday Everyone!!!

My Boy and My Boy and My Dog...

2011-01-06T09:20:00.000-08:00

This is my post for today... Just sitting here at my desk staring at my monitor thinking how nice it would be to be sitting on the ocean some where along highway 1 just staring at the ocean taking it in... I had the itch to just keep driving west today... Don't know why, but it was a strong feeling... I really feel the need for a beautiful sunset and there aren't any prettier around here than watching it lay on the Pacific...

I took these last night of Cody, he says it gave him reason to shave!!! I just love that friendly spirit in his face, he is a really good kid... I love him almost as much as Boone <3

Been busy today...

2011-01-05T13:35:00.000-08:00

This good looking guy ate part of my favorite blue slipper yesterday! I can still wear it but it has a missing piece of rubber!!! I bonked him on the head with it and he looked at me like "what the heck", he didn't have the woe is me look that he has above... He also decided that my calfskin should be slobbered on with possible thoughts of chewing a hole in it... He was being creative with his thoughts and went hunting for something to chew on... I think it's time for new rawhides and to fill his kong... I still love'm though <3

I have been busy today... Working on the map and crossing bridges that we haven't been over yet... Went to lunch with one of my buddies and stuck to my diet, had a piece of pesto chicken on a salad and it was good...

I made stir fry last night with broccoli, cabbage, mushrooms, shallots, peas, bean sprouts, squash and slices of steak... Turned out quite yummy.

Steve dropped my camera off the table that I shouldn't have left it on... It still works, but cracked the case of the flash that was on it... That's what I get for leaving it where I use it and not putting it in the cabinet where it belongs... I use the thing so much that I leave it by my desk or on the counter a lot of the time for quick grabbing... Needless to say I got a lecture and gave him a piece of my mind; though he was right! Lesson learned the hard way as usual for me...

The heater at Chelsea's is on the blinks again... Thankfully she has the fireplace and I have to tell you if it isn't one thing it's another...

Read on FoxNews that press secretary Robert Gibbs is leaving! I can't say that I am sad about this as I think he is an IDIOT, but who are the late shows going to make fun of now? Seemed like he was dumb founded a lot of the time... I shouldn't be so rude for the fact that you couldn't get me to stand up at that podium and answer all those questions that those far left thinking people in the white house were causing him... Good bye Mr.Gibbs, wish you luck in the future and don't let the door hit in ya in the A@# when ya leave!!!

I should get back to work as it pays the bills and buys the new heater units... Toodeloo for today :)

Abstract Tuesday...

2011-01-04T14:25:00.000-08:00

Boy was it hard getting up out of bed this morning, could of held out getting up until 8:30ish if I had it my, but I don't and the irresponsibility thing kicked in and up I got... At work today I finished my mini project, worked on the map by adding a few streets, address ranges, no left turns... I hate address ranges! I swear you would think the county has it right, but not always as when you google the map and you see the houses with your own two eyes you see that they two are in the wrong place! I have leaned toward the google satellite map as I figure a house is built and I can see it's roof top! and the other cool thing is that you can get the birds eye view and see the address a lot of the time! Fun stuff :/

We have a new Governor this week... Don't know what to think or what to expect... Sure hope he knows how to work a checkbook and isn't afraid to use his pen even when being lashed and bribed... This state is in such trouble and has such issues; scary I tell ya! This guy needs prayers; heavy prayers!

Wonder what is up with my fingers and brain lately... I can type words perfectly backwards and I am not kidding...

Steve's Dad is doing great! Like really, really good... He is living on his own now and taking care of life... It is amazing really when you think of where he was a couple of months ago... He doesn't think he is making progress, but I tell you he is... His speech is getting better by the day and though his energy level isn't where he would like it to be, as soon as the rain stops and the weather clears up he will get it back I know... He is already walking down the street and around the block on his own; amazing I tell you!

I am trying to get dates together for sales of my collars, then I need to get more collars done so I have a supply and don't have to freak out at the last moment... I really didn't have a whole lot of time to get many done this winter break or not as many as I would like to have...

Well, that is all the news on my side of the desk... Happy almost HumpDay!!

I'm surviving Monday...

2011-01-03T12:48:00.000-08:00

I'm surviving Monday but I sure miss these two bums... I hope they are having as big of withdrawals from me as I am having not being with them... But this is probably what they are doing in my absence, just wish I was cuddled up on the sofa with them!

I didn't miss this job of mine! Nope, not at all!!! It's Monday and I am right back in the swing of figuring out life for next year, just one big freaking puzzle after another! Not that I am complaining about having a job and a paycheck, just didn't miss the place all that much...

I can't believe it is 2011... I have written 2010 at least ten times today, just can't get into the new year... I really liked writing 2010 and I am going to miss it, 2011 just isn't as much fun and you just doesn't have as much style choices in your writing of this new year...

Can you tell I am bored and at lunch???? I'm eating celery or should I say I am chomping on celery... I had a healthy choice meal and now I have moved on to veggies... I am thinking about going to weight watchers with my friend Kerri, think that will be what I need to accountable since I know what is good for me, how to loose weight and what it takes... It will force me to get off my butt, that is my main problem, no one to say your a bum besides Steve; and I don't listen to him!!! Terrible I know, but really I need a stranger to look at the scale with me, see I am a pleaser and I won't let down a stranger!!! LoL

Well, I am bound and determined to keep this blog up and running so I am writing what ever is on my mind and that could be amusing the way my mind works... But here we are at day three and I have posted twice this year so it makes for a good start :)

So happy Monday to you all!!! Here's to a Tuesday that I wake up too!!! Tuesdays are always harder than Mondays!

January 2011 and I am back to work...

2011-01-02T19:12:00.000-08:00

Rain... I have enjoyed this rain the last two weeks, it forced me to relax and enjoy my vacation... Our ground is so saturated! I love this picture above of the trees reflecting off the puddle outside our glass sliding door... The flower below is the last rose winter rose left on the bush, how lucky are we in California to be able to enjoy a rose when the rest of country is basically under snow!

Tomorrow I am back to work after having a two week break of sleeping in and total relaxation... I don't know if I am going to be able to handle life without a nap!!! Honestly I have slept in and took naps all week long! and darn it felt good... I actually feel like a fat hibernating bear! Hell, I look like a fat bear!!!

With this new year I am going to try to get my blog going again because I miss it and I miss the journaling... Wish me luck as I have to make time to do it... It just seems like my life doesn't have enough to journal about as all I seem to do is work and the rest of life seems so boring... But, I will try to make life less boring and maybe after all you might like reading boring! LoL

Have a great Monday back to work everyone!!!

I can't believe I am ready for Christmas...

2010-12-22T12:40:00.000-08:00

I am sitting here this morning listening to Kenny Chesney put me in the warm home feeling... Feeling a lot guilty not helping Steve over at the rental but enjoying every ounce of being home during the day with NO deadline, getting things done at my pace, enjoying the peace, loving being home with my dogs, seeing the kids through out my day, cooking, baking, lighting candles, working on collars, just being ME... I know I should be over helping him finish "our" rental, but I realize that I really needed this time and will try to get over and help him after the holiday this weekend...

I get to enjoy these two mugs! I love these two more than words can express! Both are so different, her loving the outdoors no matter the weather, possessive of anything that she doesn't have, loving at her own will... Him, so mellow and loving at anytime, soulful eyes, just wants to be where you are, big muscle body with the inside of mush, hates water, doesn't believe in going out into the weather to take a pee, thinks he went to heaven when he sleeps on the sofa in front of a warm fire, loves car rides and to be on the look out for cats! These two make me smile on a daily basis and take the stress of life right off my shoulders... I really do love my pups <3

I have been making butter brittle of all kinds... Butter brittle with dark chocolate & almonds, milk chocolate & almonds, dark chocolate & coconut, brown sugar molasses over graham crackers... I have gone a little brittle crazy! but man does it make the house smell so good!

I hope you are all having a great week... Merry Christmas!!!
JustMeShann @}-----

Selling Get Along Doggy Collars...

2010-12-12T06:29:00.000-08:00

This is my setup when going to shows with my dog collars... It is simple now but I keep changing things up and plan on having Steve build my shelves to line the back of my table like the little one I am using now... I thing it will be nice to get the big ones so the collars don't just lay on the table...

These are my little collars and foot long leads...

This was the show I did in Oakdale at the Cowboy Christmas Festival...

As you can see I have made a LOT of collars in different styles...

Rambling Friday

2010-12-10T08:46:00.000-08:00

I haven't written in a while as I must be in a funk, so I am going to bullet my thoughts...

I am busy, more busy than ever with my husband and his father. I make dinner for them after work almost everyday and I like doing it. My father in law is doing better every day, though in his mind it isn't fast enough. He is a miracle of medicine and I am thankful for prayer and technology. I am also thankful that my husband gets to spend more time with his father as they are bonding and closer I think than ever in life. My husband is a really, really good guy, more caring than even I ever new; his father is very lucky to have such a strong caring man for a son...
I am starting my collar business and I have doubts in my ability, doubts in the direction I want to go with my product, but hanging in there because I believe I have a niche in what I am doing. I believe if I can hang in there and market myself this spring that I will do fine in the long run. It is a lot of work! I don't seem to have time in my day to get my websites to where I would like them to be. Any criticism is welcome at this point.
My kids are wonderful and I would like them to both know it! I appreciate you both for making my life easier and for listening to me when I need an ear... I love you both very much!
I got to go on a ride with my dad last weekend and really enjoyed it, got to talk and visit which was nice. We don't get to do this enough lately. I really, really enjoyed it. I got to see my Uncle Baker too which is always hard on my dad because they are so close I know, but it was nice for me to see him and I know it made his day...
I have plain and simple gone to the dogs, they are my life and I enjoy them tremendously! even if they won't sit next to each other with their antlers and halo on!!!
My sister sent me an early Christmas present that I love! If any of you are thinking about getting a digital reader they are wonderful. She sent me a Pandigital and it really is a great reader and back lit too! It has Wifi and I can check my email, facebook and read a book in bed on a screen that is small and light... Thanks Sis <3
I am ready for my two week vacation... I am going to spend it with my husband working on finishing our rental. I may not like all the hard work to come, but it needs to be done and I can't think of a more handsome guy to spend my time with...
I have discovered that I like peace and quiet... I like no noise, no tv, no music, just plain solitude. I don't know if it is because I sit across from dispatch all day and hear the grey noise throughout my whole day or the fact that I am older and I can concentrate better without the background blab, but I know I like it. I could live in solitary confinement as long as I had my hubby & dogs!!! GUESS THAT ISN'T SO SOLITARY!!! LoL
Just to let you all know... I love facebook <3

Well, this is all of my rambling for the moment or until I think of something else to add... Life is good here, have a great day everyone, Shann @}---

Tuesday...

2010-11-09T21:06:00.000-08:00

Tuesday was one busy day in my neighborhood... The project that I am working on and the deadline I thought I had got moved up to this Friday as my director has a meeting with the Superintendent and Cabinet on Monday... Thursday is a holiday and I was suppose to get Friday off as a vacation day but now that went right out the window as the need for my work is greater than my sleeping in... I am not hopeful that I get the project done in time, there is still so much to do, brain cells were burning today... All of my projects are proposals due to the California state budget and the fact that they are not giving education any more money than they have too, and as with all state agencies they are not fairing well because they spend every freaking dime... Now they are scrambling to stay above water and we should be oh so blessed to have the hard core superintendent that we do now, she is going to strip this district down the bare necessities... It is still depressing to me that my work affects so many peoples welfare and livelihood...

I am amused with myself... I bought my dogs foam rubber for their dog beds that weren't really soft and now they don't like them... I took the foam out of Boones bed in the living-room so he is happy now, but the ones in the family room I am leaving the foam in because the floor is so hard; they will just have to deal with it... I just think it is funny that I spend that much money and they look at me like it I am crazy... LoL

And just to let you know these are the faces of my dogs when they have to be outside in the cold! Can you see that both believe they should be in the house in front of the fire whether we are home or not! Such neglect on those two faces! Just to let you know, one of them is on the sofa and the other is now stretched out in front of the fire, both are cozy and happy, the big one in snoring... :)

Bullets of thought on Tuesday...

2010-11-02T12:00:00.000-07:00

I have decided there is absolutely nothing good about stroke other than testing ones will to survive...
My director is giving me one deadline after another with no break; it is getting very old...
I am having a hard time wrapping my mind around the project I have due and the sad thing is that the deadline looming doesn't even faze me...
The sky is blue, the clouds are puffy, the humidity feels like fall and I just want to be out in it...
I haven't picked up a camera in weeks...
I did not hand out one piece of candy on Halloween...
Wendy's spicy nuggets are so good, but so bad for you...
My husband is so tired and I feel bad for him...
I thought when I got older things would slow down a bit and I was very wrong!
I don't have all the answers no matter how many times you ask me...
Root beer is soothing...
I have 26 pictures of my dogs in my office; some are poster size!
Kerri is out sick today and I miss her :)
I wish there was a house cleaning fairy...
Driving Steve's truck is like driving a school bus... I love the sound of the diesel engine <3
My stereo in my truck is better than his and I am sure he is enjoying it...
I love my kids <3
My dogs are squirrel hunters!

Get out and VOTE!!!Ge

2010-11-01T17:19:00.000-07:00

Get out and VOTE!!!

Living in California it sometimes feels like a lost cause to go and vote when you live amongst so many liberal thinking humans that will cast out your vote...
I sometimes wonder if the oh so sacred water of this state has caused the lack of common sense this state lacks... (They always blame it on the water so I thought I would play the game too)
Go to the polls and Vote those government free spending people out of office!!! Free spending as in spending our hard earned money!!!
Remember this is just a start at taking back our rights to stand up against big government and big spending...
Let's take control of the economy back to strength, work for small business and gain control of our dollar!

VOTE! VOTE! VOTE! VOTE! VOTE! VOTE! VOTE! VOTE! VOTE! VOTE! VOTE! VOTE! VOTE! VOTE! VOTE!

DEFEAT OBAMA, BIDEN, PELOSI AND THE FAR LEFT WING THAT DON'T LISTEN TO THE DIRECTION THEIR COUNTRY THINKS IT SHOULD BE GOING IN, THAT ARE ALLOWING OUR COUNTRY TO SINK FARTHER INTO DEBT AND A SOCIAL SOCIETY!!!

Pondering thoughts...

2010-10-27T07:56:00.000-07:00

I don't know if I like how fast life changes or how fast time flies by...

As much as I am a person that holds onto life and saviors the moment I realize that really I am just able to hold onto tid bits of a day... I some times wonder why we can't be born with more wisdom of life, but then realize when I really think about it that it is really what our short life spans is about; collecting wisdom... Some say I was born with wisdom; I don't know... I can't imagine people going through life not pondering thoughts, moments, love, empathy, color, surroundings, feelings... You see I ponder this allot in my day, more than most I think... But at the same time I am learning that I am different than others, different in the way I think and feel, different in what is important... I don't know if it is all the hurt I have endured in my life, learning at an early age that life is not worth dealing with the hardship that others can bring into your world, that threats are just that, that no matter how much one can try to hurt you, you are the one that allows it... So this is where my keeping things to myself and analyzing began; childhood... I have come to realize that I am wired differently and this is who I am, but I don't show my inner me to a lot of people and I don't cry... I can hold it together and not feel emotion during trying times... I am a protector and I tend to research and try to find out as much as I can about a situation and leave my feeling behind, then later down the road sometimes a year away or more the emotion overwhelms me and splatters all over the place... I have really noticed the difference in me while going through this trying time with Steve's dad, watching the others around me spill their raw emotions out while I am still level headed and blunt... Makes me wonder if this is a gift or a hindrance in life for me... It is not that I don't love or I am not hurt by what surrounds me, it is that I can take it in and make sense of it, maul it around and know in my heart that God will take care of it, that life is meant to happen good or bad and we have no real control of it...

So this is what is wandering through my tired exhausted brain waves this morning, pondering life, pondering feelings and pondering meaning... Life is just a moment long, breath in & breath out, believe in Gods peace & power and LOVE!

Last weekend...

2010-10-18T20:36:00.000-07:00

My hang out in all it's glory...

Our first rain of the year... Man it smelt so good and the humidity was heaven... I LOVE FALL!!!

My girl snoozing on the sofa while I banged on leather... She doesn't like the noise I make pounding with the hammer...

The weekend...I

2010-10-10T20:53:00.000-07:00

Friday afternoon I took the dogs over to Brookside to run in the yard, they think they are going to the park because they run around like a hundred miles an hour dodging one another and rolling in the yard playing the bully wrestle... I love watching how much they love playing with one another as they are in seperable... Bella is the alpha and loves to play rough it is sort of a hoot to see my big mellow Boone roll in the grass underneath her...

Saturday I sold collars at a craft fair. I didn't do as well as last weekend, but met a ton of nice people. Chelsea hung out with me some of the day and brought Boone up to show my collars off. He really draws a crowd of admirers... I really like going to these sales, but have to find a more dog orientated group if I plan to make a little cash...

Today was spent going to Costco, errands, laundry and a much needed nap... If I didn't have a project due tomorrow I would take tomorrow off to get a little more done around here... I am really in need of a long weekend, but my boss keeps throwing projects at me and there isn't one in the near future...

See what I mean about these two loving each other... Can you hear her telling him that; hey that run was fun, maybe you will beat me next time... Him thinking ya; well I just let you when cuz you have a big girl dog attitude and I didn't want to see you sulk... LoL

Fish

2010-10-10T08:19:00.000-07:00

Steve's first metal sculpture... It is made out of shovel heads, metal rakes, washers, saws all blades and rebar... I love the thing and it is about 4 ft long...

Happy Birthday Chelsea!

2010-09-27T20:32:00.000-07:00

Happy 23rd Birthday Chelsea!!!
Love ya, Mom & Dad

Photo shoot using the pups for practice...

2010-09-18T20:31:00.000-07:00

Boonie helping me practice with the external flash on my camera... I think he did a fine job, look how clear his eyes look in the photo thanks to the flash...

Isn't she a pretty gal... I love this girl, she loves to go and photo shoot with me...

Boone in Sepia

2010-09-14T10:07:00.000-07:00

Boone is Sepia... All he needs is a badge! I love this dog...

I don't think there is a more handsome dog than my Boone Boy...

I am at work dreaming about being home... Wishing I was at home with my dogs following me around while I was watching my husband play with metal in his garage... Oh well, back to work!

The weekend so far...

2010-09-11T16:58:00.000-07:00

Nugget and friends enjoying the weekend and looking for a handout...

We have been collecting horse shoes too... Chelsea wants to build a cactus from horse shoes... They aren't so easy to find in our big town... We are looking for an anvil too!

My girl with a smile...

P-38 flying above the house, there is an air show today...

Looking over the catch of day...

I think this guy is handsome too...

Metal...

This is what we have been garage sailing for weeks now, ever Saturday we are off looking for metal... Steve wants to do some metal sculpture and I am more than excited to take part... Between both of our creative minds we should be able to make some pretty awesome stuff...

What can I say; I think he is handsome...

This new blog system is pretty neat... I haven't blogged in so long that there are a lot of changes... Changes for the good... Now that life is slowing down I am hoping to blog again... I know you all have probably given up on me... But here I am again!

Grandma turned 94 years old today...

2010-08-08T15:13:00.000-07:00

Grandma turned 94 years old today! I love her to pieces! These are the flowers my sister sent to her, she loves flowers of all colors! though she isn't to fond of a lot of yellow and there are no yellow flowers in this terra cotta pot...

Grandma and her Steve... Her and Steve have a real bond from all those years having lunch together while Steve was working in the shop... Grandma always likes to hear about what he is working on...

We brought Boone with us to see Grandma, he is so gentle and she likes petting his big old head...

Me and Grandma celebrating Birthday 94 :)

My 1st leather dog collar...

2010-06-12T09:46:00.000-07:00

Needless to say I didn't get a whole lot of housework done today! But I was creative and it felt good! Better luck on the housework tomorrow....

My second collar, a little better than the last but a lot to learn...

This was my first attempt at making a leather dog collar... It was fun, but now I am going to spend some time making hole templates because I hate uneven lines... I think it is fancy but still handsome...
Being creative is a messy and not cheap; happy birthday to me! Thanks :)
This reminds me of a John Wayne collar...
Hope everyone is having a great weekend, now I need to get to some housework... Shann @}----

Shann and her other man!

2010-06-07T12:21:00.000-07:00

This was taken last weekend at the 2010 5k Doggy Dash... I took Boone with me and he did great, isn't he a fab looking dog... I left Bella Rella at home with Steve since I could only take one dog he got the outing... I had a great time and it was fun seeing the 3000 plus other dogs, though it was a little warm in the upper 80's... Before you ask; no I didn't cut my hair it is just up in a scrunchy! LoL

I hope you all are having a great Monday, have a great day Shann @}----

Thursday's Ramble...

2010-06-03T12:17:00.000-07:00

These are my two peas in a pod :) As you can see they love each other very much! They play rough and you should see them play hide & seek and chase! Oh my gosh they run so fast, prowl and pounce! fun stuff to watch unless you are trying to grow grass in the same yard!
This is how I found Boone yesterday morning at 5 am... I had to poke him to see if he was still alive! honestly he is NO guard dog! He sleeps on the sofa because Steve has banned him from the bedroom because he snores so loud! Gotta love this guy, he makes me smile on a daily basis...

You just want to "kiss" those jowls don't you!!! LoL

I had driver bid yesterday and everything went well... It amazes me that we got everything done in this new system and thrills me to death! Though it scares me that this was only 7 schools and not the 33 I get to start routing for fall next week! Fun stuff ahead... I am sure I am going to need a transfusion of brain cells by the end of July! But ya gotta live day to day and today I am a happy camper that things went well...

I wonder how Chelsea is doing today??? She took Jackson to the fire station with the preschool class she has worked for for so long... I am sure they are having tons of fun, he is the cutest little guy... Jackson will be three on August 6th and has been potty trained since right after he turned two! and my gosh he talks up a storm in long sentences that are so clear you would think he is a 5 year old... As you can see I love the little guy and it really is fun seeing Auntie Chelsea have fun with him, she has read to him since he was born and he loves her dearly!

Well, not much more is going on other than work and not much play... The survival game is the norm in my neighborhood; laundry, dishes, dogs, husband, yard and not necessarily in that order!

Have a great rest of the week everyone, Shann @}----

Memorial Day Weekend...

2010-05-31T16:25:00.000-07:00

I would like to thank all of the men & women who are connected to the military. My family appreciates your service and your sacrifice. I feel honored to know the veterans that I do and take and appreciate the freedom that I wake up to every morning...

I took Cody to a wedding of one of his friends yesterday in Auburn and then they had the reception in Meadow Vista where I got to take the dogs for a long walk and play in a huge field... I learned that Boone will not come to his name unless it is his idea or he thinks you are leaving without him, this is going to change... I also learned that Bella is an awesome hiking gal that follows direction to a T" and will find any creek within a mile! she loves water! I had a great time with the two of them and learned a lot about both of their personalities and find it wonderful that they look to each other and make sure each other are together; they have bonded...

Boone sporting his shotgun & rivet collar... I have to say he is a little photogenic! I think he has the most beautiful head on earth! One handsome sweet boy...

Steve worked on cabinets all weekend and I for the most part just bummed around... I mowed, did the laundry, grocery shopped, made some good meals, planted my avocado tree and went to Targot... It was a nice break from a couple of crazy busy weeks...

This week brings a busy day tomorrow finalizing routes, summer bid for the drivers on Wednesday and route clean up the rest of the week...

I hope everyone had a great weekend and has a great week, Shann @)----

Our Obedience Class Pitbull University on the News

2010-05-29T19:24:00.000-07:00

What's new????

2010-05-27T16:49:00.000-07:00

I met my deadline of having all my routes put together even though having a new program to work through and I have to say I am amazed and thankful to be working with Kerri, she really is amazing and the Queen of keying... This program has given me many days of almost sobbing, but for the most part has done what we need it to do at this stage of the game... I have a ton more to learn and we are learning on the run! I just hope fall is as forgiving....

Tomorrow we move into the map room which is a little 12x12 box of a room with a low ceiling and bright lights, we will be in this room until September, Fall 2010-2011 is done and running... I am hopeful to get a little quiet to be able to think while the chaos of summer is starting and we are already working towards fall... Life is a little crazy to say the least!

Steve is still busy with Jack & Debbie's place which I believe is in the final stages of being done... Steve is fed up with the state and all of it's new laws and fines for everything you touch or do! My favorite is the 811 law requiring you to call 2 days ahead to have your ground surveyed before digging a fence post hole, mail box, tree or shrub hole... The fine for not calling or getting the right clearance can be up to $10000 dollars and I didn't put to many zeros! There must be jobs being created by the stimulus for these state officials to be out cruising the neighborhood looking for you and your shovel in hand! The contractors in this state are going to go out of business, but the state workers will have a job until they are all gone and the socialist will have another group of people over the barrel heading to the food lines!

How do you like this weather???? I myself am loving it! I finally got to hear thunder today... Whoop! I love the green is still green and the don't mind the rain if it keeps the 100' days away... After all we had summer through December this year! They say it will be in the 80's here by Sunday... How lucky are we :)

Sis, I haven't forgot to take pictures of the dogs in their new collars; it has been raining and I want to wait till the sun is out... :) Don't want any mudd on their new style ya know!

Well this is all the news I can muster in one day of my mind rambling... Hope you all have a great long weekend! Shann @}----

Yes, I've gone to the dogs...

2010-05-19T20:10:00.000-07:00

It has been a long couple of weeks testing all that I am made of at work... People are so funny in how they react to life and I get so tired of people being pissy or getting their feelings hurt and copping an attitude; it gets so freak'n old... Thank God I have these guys to come home too! They make life so much more bearable when dealing with the stress at work...

I took them both to obedience class tonight but it was canceled due to rain so we went for a walk at the river instead... Bella is a "fish" I tell you, she just bails in the river! I think she has lab in her because she is a swimming fool! Boone on the other hand sticks his toe in and calls it a day...

I am loving this weather, last year on todays date it was 102' and I am thankful this year to have the 60's... Spring at the river was beautiful... I am going to take Cody with me next time so I can take pictures while walking the dogs... I need to take some pictures of Bella swimming and the baby honkers down by the river... Their were also the most quail I have seen in years... I love California quail and their cute little head knots bouncing as they run along...

Well, I am exhausted and heading to bed so I can do the whole work thing for another day or two... Have a great rest of the week everyone, Shann @}----

Random thoughts on a Wednesday night...

2010-05-05T20:46:00.000-07:00

Just random thoughts tonight... Have I always been full of anxiety or is it something that comes with age and to much responsibility and deadlines that look like they are unreachable though the expectation is still their from the higher ups? Any way you look at it I don't like the feeling and wish that I didn't have this trait...

I have decided that overtime is not worth the $$$ or the fact that you are so tired that the next morning you spend much of it fixing the stupidness of tired mistakes from the day before...

Coming home to dogs makes the world a better place... Hearing from your kids during the day is like frosting on a cupcake! I totally realize how lucky I am to have both...

I had my first obedience class tonight and really liked it. The girls that are teaching it train a lot like the people I trained with in the past. My dogs are going to do awesome in their class. I am going to train Bella first and then take Boone. I have been working with the jokers every night for about twenty minutes a piece, working on Sit, Down, Heel and with the Boone - Shake... They are both doing really good but it will be fun to see how they react to other dogs and distractions...

Steve is done with his maple kitchen cabinet job and now is doing the finish up remodeling of the project... The cabinets are really pretty and I love the light color of the wood, the finish is soft and beautiful...

The kids have mid-terms this week and have had their hands full with study...

I am doing the breast cancer walk on Saturday with the girls from work... Melanie is going through chemo right now and I will be walking with her... I know 8 people that have had to deal with this disease in the last year so I feel it is very important to be their in support of their fight of this disease...

I got my truck back from the body shop today, it is all fixed and pretty again... I am going to miss my husband taking me to work every morning and picking me up in the afternoon, it was nice seeing him and getting a kiss every morning...

That's all that is going on in my life... It is busy with extended year and learning a new computer program on the run... I have had to do it before, but it seems it is harder each time I have to learn it and stay ahead of the others... Have a great week, it is almost Friday thank goodness!

Shann @}----

Tonight's Dog Pictures

2010-05-04T18:36:00.000-07:00

The Boone Boy on the 4th of May...

The two love bugs chewing on a toy together...

The pups in B&W...

2010-04-29T14:08:00.000-07:00

The pups in black & white last night... I am suppose to sign papers tonight so that officially Boone is our forever pup... Bella and he are enjoying each others company and I am enjoying them both... Life is good in our neighborhood...

Bella & Boone Day 4...

2010-04-26T21:14:00.000-07:00

From Peace & Quiet to all out play is what they do... Thankfully Boone is more laid back than Bella B... She gives him hell when ever she can and he seems to just deal with it with a laid back cool joe attitude...
They love each others company and share with each other so gentley, it's amazing...

Gotta love these two... Boone has found his forever home to be a spoiled pitty like BellaRoo...

Boone has a forever home...

2010-04-24T15:15:00.000-07:00

Meet Boone a new member of our family... He is a big old lug of a dog with a mellow personality and takes to anything new... He loves Bella, rough housing, riding in the car, sleeping in the sun and to eat... He seems to be a big old lovable boy...

I found him through a meet up group that I have been going to that inspires to show the world what wonderful dogs these pitbulls make... I am planning on therapy training Boone because he has the most wonderful personality and nothing seems to rock him...
He is BIG as in 85 lbs of big and his head, feet and chest are massive... I think he is a beauty, but Steve thinks he is ugly... Steve says he looks like that guy on Rooster CogBurn that loans John Wayne the raft that he goes down the river with in with Kathryn Hepburn... LoL
He is mellow and who doesn't like a pup with frog legs and this boy loves to lay like this!
So we now have our final addition to our family and I can't wait to get to know him, train him and show him off to the world as such a great pitbull boy...

Happy Saturday Everyone, Shann @)----

The Blogs Gone to the Dog!

2010-04-16T22:00:00.001-07:00

I took my girl Bella to Auburn and the Auburn Court House for a photoshoot today... We had a blast! She showed off her smarts, smile, good looks and how wonderful the pitbull breed is... She really is one awesome gal! I just love this pup! She really showed her stuff today greeting everyone we ran into with a smiling face and wagging tail... I got a lot of comments on how well mannered she was, it didn't hurt that we were out all day and she was starting to get tuckered out loosing a little of her puppy bounce... :)

Happy Weekend Everyone, Shann @}----

A Busy Last Week and Week to Come...

2010-04-10T20:57:00.000-07:00

Last week was a busy week full of getting data ready for a three day training session we will be having this week... Along with the data clean up we started inputting extended year request, got ready for a student load count we will be doing at the beginning of the week and I spent quite a lot of time on the phone answering questions coming from the public due to policy changes with the district for the coming year...

I also joined a Sacramento pitbull group with the nicest people and pit pups... Bella and I went on our first meet up walk downtown on Tuesday, there were 25 people with their pitbulls strutting their stuff and it was so much fun... Walked K street mall and Old Sac drawing a lot of attention and the dogs were so well behaved... Most of the people work obedience with their dogs and it really showed... Bella really had a great time and did really well with all the new smells, other dogs, cars and crowds; I was really proud of her... We will be going on another walk this Tuesday night in Roseville...

Steve has been busy working on a maple cabinet job for Jack & Debbie's new place... He as always is busy with work and keeping up with the rental...

Life is good in our neighborhood...

Have a great rest of the weekend, Shann @}---

The eggs that didn't want to be cracked!

2010-04-04T14:13:00.000-07:00

The kids dyed eggs and I drew on eggs... Fun stuff!

Hoppy Easter!

2010-04-04T13:00:00.001-07:00

Hoppy Easter from Bella the Bouncy Bully Bunny...

As you can see the Bully Bunny was not too keen on being a bunny today... To bad for the Bully Bunny because her owner was going to get her $ dollars worth of the bully bunny wearing the bunny ears on Easter 2010... Treats did not even bring the humor out of the bully bunny wearing the bunny ears; just sadness that I would do such a thing to the bully bunny...

Hoppy Easter Everyone, Shann @}----

Scavenger Hunt 2010...

2010-03-29T07:50:00.000-07:00

We joined a Scavenger Hunt with seven teams of four and ran all over Sacramento gathering our goods... Each item was worth a certain amount of points and was the major land marks that we had to show we were at... The bowling pin was our mascot and had to be in each picture... We stopped at dads to gather as much as we can as his garage is loaded with lots of stuff! We scored at his place; saluting the flag, man with a mustache, craft mac & cheese, base ball bat, nail, plastic plant and I can't think of all the rest... Wish we could have took him! it was a hoot!
We drug two guys out of the Embers bar to stand with us and take our picture spelling the Embers... Funny thing is the Embers is gone and it is now called Dreamers!
We had to take a shot together! Apple flavored Vodka! this was our last stop!

We had to have our picture taken with a horse! found this guy standing in front of the hamburger stand in Rio Linda! Gotta love Rio Linda!

Standing in front of San Juan High Schools new Trojan Arch!

Standing in Fallen Angles tattoo shop...

This was a fun stop... I knocked on the door of this persons door trying to get permission to take a picture with his PRIUS car, he didn't answer so we started taking pictures and he came out wondering what the heck we were doing to his car... We explained and he was cool, but it was a little awkward to say the least!

We had to find three people of the same sex... So we ran into these baseball players in front of StarBucks! They thought they were ALL that!

This was another have to find point... The Atlas Guy in front of the gym on Madison Avenue...

Chelsea and Monica decorated the car, they were all into this wanting to kick butt and win! We had no problem showing who was the competition! And we made shirts with matching Logo and BAMF team spirit!

And if you can't tell these pictures were not taken with my Nikon... Thank goodness Chelsea brought her little camera; our arms weren't long enough and holding that big old camera would have done us in for sure!

Happy Week Everyone, Shann @}----

Art with no limits...

2010-03-22T19:46:00.000-07:00

Art with no limits. Click on Art with no limits to read an article in the AmericanRiverCurrent college newspaper about Cody and his art... Please take a look as I am very proud of him... I will be sending the grandparents, aunts & uncle a copy of the paper so you can have one...

Happy Monday, Shann @}----

Representation at it's worst...

2010-03-21T22:56:00.000-07:00

A true story, and yes I find this repulsive after todays vote...

"Yesterday, I decided to call Rep. John Garamendi’s (CA-10) office in Washington, D.C. He’s my representative and I wanted to voice my opposition to the Senate Health Care Bill. I spoke with a female staffer and politely told her that, while I support health care reform, I oppose the Senate Bill because it wasn’t true “reform.” She said the Congressman thinks it’s a good bill and that he campaigned on health care reform. I told her I knew that. I also mentioned that I voted for him. When I tried to give her specific reasons why the Senate Bill would harm our system rather than reform it, she refused to listen. She said she was very busy and hung up on me. Being the persistent person that I am, I kept calling back. Each time I tried to finish my point, she hung up.

I called one more time. This time she said, “If you call one more time, we will notify Capital Police.” I asked why my conduct warranted involving federal law enforcement agents. She said I was “harassing” her. I tried to explain that trying to convince a representative to change his or her vote didn’t constitute “harassment.” Before I could fully explain, she hung up again.

I called back. This time, I asked to speak to her supervisor in order to report her repeated hanging up as well as the threat she made. I was placed on hold. Thinking I was holding for her supervisor, I was shocked when a Federal Agent with the Capital Police picked-up the telephone.

At first, the Agent was curt with me. He claimed I was harassing Mr. Garamendi’s staff by continually calling after being told to stop calling. I asked him when it became a federal crime to lobby a congressman. He said that it wasn’t but it was a crime to “harass” congressional members and staff pursuant to 47 U.S.C. 223. I told him I was an attorney (which I am) and that I would research the statute he had cited.

After researching 47 U.S.C. 223, I called Mr. Garamendi’s office again and asked to be transferred back to the Capital Police Agent. The Agent picked up the phone and I explained to him that the statute he cited was not controlling since it only prohibits people from calling with the specific intent to harass. I further explained that I was simply trying to voice my concerns with the intent of getting Mr. Garamendi to change his mind, not to harass his staff. The Agent eventually agreed with my position and said he would call Mr. Garamendi’s office and instruct his staff that I was within my rights to call my congressman and voice my concerns.

After I hung up, I realized that this story should be told. Besides being an attorney, I’ve also had the privilege of serving this great country in the United States Marine Corps. Having seen the ugly legislative process the Senate Bill had been through, I saw this as not just another tactic to pass the Senate Bill at all costs, but also as an affront to our liberties.

While I’m fortunate enough to be able to legally challenge what happened today, others aren’t. The sad part is the democrats know this. They know that Americans unfamiliar with federal jurisprudence can easily be silenced when threats to involve federal agents are made. They know that most Americans don’t want trouble and they’ll go away rather than face the possibility of having to explain themselves to federal agents. That’s why I found this tactic appalling, as a Marine, as an attorney and as a proud American.

During my final contact with Mr. Garamendi’s staff, it was confirmed to me that he would vote for the Senate Bill no matter what. I was told that I was wasting my time by calling. Mr. Garamendi is a junior member of the House of Representatives. He was just elected via a special election last November. He has made it clear that he is willing to forsake his constituents in order to please the Speaker of the House.

Speaker Pelosi has said that she will stop at nothing to get the Senate Bill passed. She publicly stated that she would “pole vault over a wall” if barriers stood in her way. While that may be an amusing spectacle, it is indicative of what happened to me today. Apparently, threatening Americans with federal crimes to silence them is the latest tool in Speaker Pelosi’s dirty bag of tricks.

In the coming days, I’m sure more stories will develop illustrating the “win at all costs” tactics being employed by democrats. It’s these tactics that have appalled a majority of Americans to the point that the Senate Bill has overwhelmingly been rejected by the American people. When we try to explain that to Speaker Pelosi’s Caucus, we are threatened with criminal sanctions. We are told to shut up or face federal agents. Such treatment may be acceptable in the former Soviet Union, but it’s repulsive in the country I love and served. Is this hope and change?"

Last week in pictures...

2010-03-21T09:22:00.001-07:00

It has been a long 8 days... Last weekend we had a little tussle that gave Bella a big ouch and Rosea a little ouch... You see Bella was learning a dominance issue on who was really the queen bee, and she found out in not such a nice way that she is only princess if she is lucky and not the queen of Rosea's surroundings... You can read about last Saturday down below... She is still on soft food, but doing just fine as these pictures were taken on Monday and you can see she was feeling no pain and at full speed!

Our plum tree had aphids in it and was covered in lady bugs Wednesday, thousands and thousands of ladybugs... Steve got out the 10ft ladder and I got out the macro lens so that I could take pictures of ladybugs close up...

I took these pictures of the birds at the rental... There are all sorts of birds that we don't have at our place just two miles away... There is a hawk nest with babies that I am trying to get a picture of, but have had no luck... It is very cool to see them feeding their babies and listening to them squawk for more...

The humming bird picture was really by luck... I take thousands of pictures of the little buggers and finally got after a year the picture I was looking for...

These are pictures of rose leaves covered in rain droplets the next morning which was sunny and beautiful... They were taken with my macro lens and I thing they are wonderful...

Have a great week everyone, Shann @}----

Happy St.Patti's Day

2010-03-17T09:57:00.000-07:00

St. Patrick's Day is an enchanted time — a day to begin transforming winter's dreams into summer's magic. ~Adrienne Cook

BellaBooBoo's

2010-03-14T18:30:00.000-07:00

Bella looks like a Pitbull misfit now... She and Rosea got into a female dominance fit and Bella came up on the short end of the stick after realizing or maybe not that Rosea is 5 years old and the Queen of absolutely everything including the space Bella was taking up with her adolescent smugness... Needless to say it was a full out fight right in the middle of Chelsea's family room; not pretty at all! Just not pretty!

Bella got the brunt of the hurt now knowing who is Queen and who is only Princess; The Queen Rules and let it be known... Bella had lacerations to her face and a huge laceration to her gums down to the jaw bone (you could see the bone of her tooth and jaw) that she got to have surgery for last night... She will be eating soft food for two weeks and look like a broozer and not so much a princess for quite some time...

Might I add that Veterinarians on Saturday afternoons make a lot of money!!! She didn't even come out of surgery with Super Powers after spending $855.00!!! Not even a cape! Oh well, she is worth it... Though I have to tell you it is a lot like having a kid when deciding what to do and explaining what happened to cause the issue at hand...

Rosea got to have three stitches to a hole in her armpit done by doc Shann at NO cost... My nurse (chelsea) almost passed out on me getting sick and turning white! Thank goodness she decided to go into criminal justice, she would have never survived being a nurse! It was the only wound I could find on Rosea, so Bella truly got the raw end of the tussle in the end...

I hope your weekend wasn't as costly or exciting as ours...

Happy Week, Shann @}----

Cody-My Artist

2010-03-13T18:57:00.000-08:00

Professor Mick Sheldon wrote this about Cody and I would love to share it with you. Cody was embarrassed when I read this to his Dad, but I love it because it so true and he really has excelled in art and that makes me beyond proud...

Cody Skalisky has taken every one of the classes that I teach. It started with my Intro to Drawing and I still consider him as being one of my gallery students. He comes back often just to hear my blah blah blah. I know him very well and I've learned to sit patiently as his extraordinarily long sentences wind on and on until they end in some brilliant thought that always surprises me. He's an extremely intelligent guy but takes time to find that out. Messy guy too. Fingerprints and charcoal smudges everywhere. In Printmaking, I surreptitiously enlisted other students to follow him around with paper towels to wipe up everything he touched with touched with those inky mitts. In color Theory he was accidentally working on a heroic abstraction of a party scene that might still be there. It was in the Painting classes where he really started to thrive. Cody would work during class then sit cross legged on the lawn outside our Kaneko Gallery just painting away for hours. These glassy abstractions come directly from a formal but intuitive place. They have dept and light and a quality of landscape about them. These don't come by accident. The stuff he learned in the Color class is evident in every work here. These are thought out and planned. Obsessive drawings fill his journals. Mick, Mick look at this. I can't tell you how many times I've stared into these books. It's easy to do. He leaves them around wherever he goes. You just have to pick them up and thumb through. I'm glad that Cody is able to share these with you. I just hope that you'll take the time to get to know them.

Professor Mick Sheldon

Director of the James Kaneko Gallery

2010-03-07T18:56:00.000-08:00

I Love Guns - click to see video

Where have I been?

2010-03-07T12:06:00.000-08:00

Where have I been? I have been away from my blog and facebooking lately because I have been busy at work and brain dead at home... I really don't have a whole lot of positive to say really as we are laying over 600 people off in our district alone, not to mention the rest of the school districts in the state that are in the same situation... It really is heart breaking when you hear the President and Governor say that the jobless rate is going down when so many will be receiving pink slips in the next month and the families, car payments and house payments that go behind those pink slips... I am lucky to still have a job, but it weighs on my heart to know so many that work hard everyday will be loosing their jobs and lively hoods... So that is why I have not blogged my thoughts...

I am going to try to make it up in pictures of this last month... A bunch of random shots of what has been going on...

This is the normal in a day in the backyard of Chelsea's house... These two have taken to standing on top of the table as look outs to what is going on around them!

Baseboard for the rental... We cut the tags off so I can make sure I get the same thing when I go back for more... It is installed now and looks wonderful...

BellaRoo's toy box... She is spoiled!

Steve melting lead on the back porch... Bella only spent two days in her crate as a pup and I always wondered what we would do with it now? Melt lead on top of it! Why didn't I think of that!

This little guy thinks it is a wonderful think to eat the plastic off the light bulbs... Good thing they aren't plugged in!

Steve pruning at his beloved rental...

Self portrait of an old feeling/looking Shannon...

Barn wood siding... I love the grain, texture and age of this wood...

Chelsea and her beloved mining cart! She wants one so bad!!! But she wants it in her house to put her tv on!!! She just doesn't get how heavy this thing is... Crazy kid!

We almost brought these boys home! The girls wanted them in their house too!

Chelsea on our road trip to who knows where...

This is a bus stop I had to check out... Don't know how it got in this group of pictures! Do you know where it is???

I brought the girls on a trip to Oakdale which took an hour and 45 minutes to get there, then took a wrong turn got to see the snow and took five in a half hours to get home!!!! Strawberry shortcut!!! Ha! We could have gone to Disneyland

The inside of a safe...

Fresh rose growth on a spring feeling winter day...

Maples are telling me it is spring!

Bella this morning... Love that mug!

Steve cleaning his garage...

The powder he has been wanting all winter long...

This is what happens when your daughter rolls your quad...

This is what happens when you get old and can't see while fixing the quad...

The turtles are awake and thinking it is spring too...

Nugget is on the look out for food...

So are the gold fish... Mia come feed us!!!

My new kitchen rugs...

And that my friends is what I have been up too...

Happy Sunday, Shann @}---

BELLARELLA

2010-02-07T14:59:00.000-08:00

Bella Rella 2010... 14 mos old and as athletic as they get, the dog is a jet on four legs... She flies through the air, propelling from spring loaded back legs... Amazing grace and strength, yet swift and agile!

Take off!

Reach!

Flight!

Last week...

2010-01-24T16:08:00.000-08:00

This is Bella Rella sleeping the storms away... This pup has it made because most of the week when she wasn't in the truck running errands with Steve she was sleeping on her island like a princess pup... Life is really good for this rescue pup.

This my friends is Death By Sugar! Cinnamon sticky buns with raisin & walnuts... These have to be the sweetest thing I have ever made! and that is sweet for me to say...

Steve busy this week drawing up plans for different projects... I always love watching him draw and to see him out in his garage with nice warm fire and all his things; it just doesn't get better than this...

Every mans love; Lead! They hold their lead close to their hearts! It ways a freak'n ton!!!

Love this picture of a piece of wood Steve had drilled holes into... I think it is the coolest and why I might have a little pyro in my blood!

Last weeks down pour and the reason my backyard is a mud puddle that may never return to the grass that used to be... It poured like this all week! I know we need the water; no complaining here... I just have a whole lot of mudd!

I hope everyone is having a great weekend... All my laundry is done and chores are out of the way... Hope your football team won! Watching the Vikings kick butt at the moment...

Happy Week, Shann @}----

Attitude...

2010-01-17T20:36:00.000-08:00

Attitude to say the least... This was taken in 1980 and I think I had plenty of attitude, the kind of attitude that probably or should I say was sure to have drove my parents crazy... I was strong and sensitive which I still am, but I don't think I would ever want to go back to the immaturity behind those glasses... I "would" go back to that body!!! That immature attitude was falling head over heals for the guy that I still wake up next too every morning... I was experimental, willing to keep up with the guy in any way (motorcycle riding, shooting, hunting, hiking, working on cars, any real challenge). I was really sensitive to my Independence, willing to stand up to a battle of right, full of fight and full of life!

Today's attitude is a little different from 30 years ago... I am still independent but like to be taken care of, a lot more mature, work hard, think about consequences before I act, still will stand up for what is right, not as experimental and will let the guys do their own thing... I have grown to like quiet, still have my own style and don't really care what others think... I think I am kinder, listen more, but realize it took all of that 17 year old's bold personality to be who I am today...

Going through pictures today brought out so many feelings, so many different periods in my life of fun, turmoil and growth... I am sure glad I have these pictures to remind me of how I became who I am today...

It has been a lazy day in my world... Steve has worked in the shop and now is in his garage with a fire drawing up some plans... I made halibut, tarter sauce, baked potatoes and carrot salad for dinner... Bella is laying out by the fire and I am in peace and quiet wandering on the computer... I am glad to know I don't have to get up in the morning to go to work; one more lazy day for me... Life is good in my neighborhood, hope it is in yours too, Shann @}----

Direction...

2010-01-15T09:34:00.000-08:00

I have collected a whole bunch of these compass rose's as of lately, my new graphic fetish. I am working in a new program that is absolutely fabulous! I have been changing boundaries and walk zones on all of my layouts. A normal task that would take me days and frustrations that would raise any ones blood pressure and cause chaos amongst organization, but with this program there is complete and unbelievable solitude. I can't believe how easy it is; you change one boundary and it ask you if you would like to change the boundary next to it and the walk zone boundary! two and three stones turned at one time! I finished everything in one day! One day I tell you! One day!!! Amazing!

Now there are pros and cons to this as you can see the amount of time and effort needed means that we will be looking at consolidation if this darn thing works as smooth as it seems... I thought for sure it would create obstacles that where new and unforeseen and it has, but nothing so far that I can't take care of. Amazing! I like it! and it is a first to have any program work this easy straight out of the box without any training. I like it! I love it! Do I sound excited? I am!!!I am looking forward to my three days off I am having this weekend. Not sure what I am going to do, but I sure need to clean my room from top to bottom and our walk in closet too. Ya know one of those vacuum under the bed and drag out everything organizing cleans... That's what I need to do.

Well, I need to get back to work... Time is money!

I hope everyone has a great weekend, Shann @}----

Click on picture...

2010-01-13T13:23:00.001-08:00

2nd Monday of 2010

2010-01-11T09:53:00.000-08:00

I can't believe it is already the second Monday of 2010... Again the time is flying by and leaving me in the dust... I really have no idea as to where all of 2009 went... I sure would like to know why time seems to fly faster than the past??? I am going to be 47 years old in May; another "What the Heck" moment... Time and I have an issue of lately... blech!

This weekend was a lazy weekend for me, as I didn't get a whole lot of anything done... I did laundry, dishes, cleaned up, the normal things but nothing really out of the ordinary... Though I did make the best halibut sandwiches ever! homemade tarter sauce to slobber over; it was scrummy! Oh yes, and I took the Christmas lights down! Mark one down for me as Steve didn't have to remind me even though it is January, he must of gave me a grace period... LoL

The kids start back to school next week... Cody will have a full schedule as he is trying to finish up his general ed... He had a full schedule last semester and got really good grade which is nice since he worked so hard to get them... Chelsea is starting this semester at Branman University and also at Sierra Collage working towards her degree in Criminal Justice having completed her AA this last semester... Both kids are extremely busy working towards their goals and making their parents very happy and very proud with their choices in education...

Bella is spending her days with Steve which is really wonderful to see... Steve is trying so hard to make her a bring to work dog... She is still having issues with anxiety and the noises that all of his tools make... Though I think it is really good that he is trying to take her as it is good for her to have all these different socialization's and him to have a buddy to ride around with... He buys her, her own burrito at taco bell! He makes me smile :) and she is a lucky dog!

I am still busy with work as usual, with lots of changes coming my way because of California's shortfall with money... The educational system is taking such a huge hit which is so very sad for the children in this state... I don't know all of the changes to come for our district, but there changes to come for sure... I just take it one day at a time and think how grateful I am to have a job in this crazy state and time... I look at every project that comes my way as job security and a thankful challenge of the mind... I am so very lucky and grateful to work where I do!

I haven't taken many pictures lately... It has been a month of foggy grey skies that make everything seem dull and not worth getting the camera out for... At this point I can only take so many pictures of Bella! LoL, so until the sun comes out or I can get some good rain pictures I am on temporary camera hiatus...

Life is good in my neighborhood; hope it is in yours too, Shann @}----

The 2009 Christmas Tree is down...

2010-01-02T12:27:00.000-08:00

With a Kiss the 2009 Christmas tree is down and gone... It was a beautiful tree as usual; 9ft and hand picked by Handsome Jack & Debbie! You just can't go wrong with friendship in a Christmas tree every year...

Bella's 1st Christmas tree and she only pulled it across the room once! I think she is going to miss her water bowl with a tree in the middle... LoL As can see this is only a picture of the immediate family as I can never get the two children in the same place long enough to get a camera out and on a stand! It is hopeless really... Thank goodness for a pup that won't leave my side! LoL She is always willing...

Happy New Year Everyone, Shann @}----

Merry Blue Moon New Year!!!

2009-12-31T18:47:00.000-08:00

Merry Blue Moon New Year to YoU All!!! I can't believe that it is 2010; feels like a Star Trek date, not tomorrow morning... Can you remember 2000? I thought that was a big date! 2010 seems even more crazy to me... Some say it will all end in 2012, just think that is only two years away... Amazing how time flies... Lately I think of Steve's Grandpa saying life is only puff, how right he was... Funny too that life seems to go faster the older you get; why is that? When I was a kid the days were so long and now I wake up and it is dark again in a couple of hours... Time, tick-tock, minutes, seconds, mili seconds, just a breath...

The kids are out and about tonight... Chelsea at a friends and Cody is with his buddies... Steve is in the garage putting on a layer of varnish on a cabinet door and I am being pestered by a dog with a rubber chicken she likes to see fly through the air... Steve and I are having left overs tonight; salmon, red potatoes and salad with balsamic vinegar... Life is quiet at the moment; I like it...

I have seen two movies with Chelsea this vacation, New Moon and Blind Side... Both were really good and enjoyed seeing them... I am now 20 pages from finishing the next Twilight book in the saga of books, ready for the movie to come out in June...

I have spent my whole vacation at home with Bella... I worry that she is going to have withdrawals and be depressed when I go back to work next week... I know I am!!! LoL I have brought her with me every where I go for two weeks now; I just love this dog... She is one lucky, spoiled pup!

I hope everyone is having a wonderful New Years Eve...

Happy 2010, Shann @}----

Christmas is over...

2009-12-27T11:29:00.000-08:00

Christmas is over but the memories are here to stay... Bella did really well for her first Christmas Eve get together... She wore her pretty collar all night and had very good manners, though she was not into loving on anyone, just hanging out and wandering through to see what everyone was doing... I was really proud of her! This really is one spoiled, lucky pup...

Our 2009 Christmas tree... It really isn't leaning like this; I haven't any idea how I was able to take this picture... Hmmm, talent I guess! LoL

Our new sofa... I love it! It is so comfortable... I can't get used to the design and now I need to do something different with the wall, but man is it nice to lay on... The really nice thing though is that there was room for everyone to sit at our party... It is also nice to have furniture in both rooms since we haven't had furniture in the living room since Cody moved home... And just to let you know... Bella is NOT allowed on the new sofa! This was her first and last time on the new sofa!

I hope everyone had a great weekend, Shann @}----

Merry Christmas from Us to YoU...

2009-12-23T17:19:00.000-08:00

Merry Christmas from My Family to Yours!!! I have been so busy I haven't had time to mail out Christmas cards, but they are on my list to do... So I thought since I was running out of time I would at least put them on my blog to let YoU all know I am thinking of you and wishing YoU all a Very Merry Christmas! As you can see I couldn't get the humans in the family to stand in one place long enough to get a picture, but these little darlings don't have a chance because I chase them around until they wear out and then get my picture whether they like it or not! Ha! Though as you can see the little snausage at the end loves his picture being taken, the other two I don't think they like it so much... LoL... The three amigos keep us entertained and we love them to pieces... They are three very lucky pound puppies!

Merry Christmas Everyone, Shann @}----

The tree is almost done...

2009-12-20T22:46:00.000-08:00

The tree is in the house and almost fully decorated... I still have the top of the tree to put ornaments on and of course the tree topper and tree skirt... It is so wonderful to have a puppy under our tree this year! She likes having a pretty water dish right in the family room... I had to break down and buy new lights this year for the tree... Steve sat and tried to fix the lights for over an hour, they have to be the most frustrating things to fix...

Tomorrow will be spent trying to get all of your gifts sent off to Alaska and Ohio... I am sure I won't be the only one in line at the post office, it is sure to be a busy day for the mail service... After that I am going to try to talk Chelsea into helping me paint the living room... Wish me luck on that one!

I hope everyone has had a great weekend and has a great Christmas week! Shann @}----

What's up...

2009-12-16T08:34:00.000-08:00

Not much going on, just wishing this work week was over...
The sewer is flowing like a dream!! Ha!
I am still exhausted from being sick last week and still haven't whethered the whole croup thing... I don't like being tired and when I was tired, I really wasn't...
I have all of my Christmas shopping done!!!!! Whoop,Whoop!! (Thanks Chels)
We still don't have the Christmas tree up, but will be starting tonight! (Thanks Jack & Debbie)
This is Bella's 1st Christmas!!! She has a new rhinestone collar and wreath to wear for Christmas Eve! and an angels halo (ahhhh)
I don't feel like I have all my ducks in a row in life at home or at work... I feel really disorganized; my feng shui is off kilter! You know this is true when your doing your hair in the morning and you are thinking about how to file and clean your filing cabinet!!!
I have to paint the living room...
I want / need a sofa for the living room... Hmmmm I think I will look on Craig's List...
I need to give Grandma her Christmas tree too! I will decorate it tonight while decorating mine..
I love, love, love my husband for bringing my dog to work with him and not giving up on her neurotic behavior, he truly is my soul mate!
Back to work for JustMe; HighHo!

Life is never boring...

2009-12-11T18:04:00.000-08:00

First, look at all the snow that accumulated next door! Large clumps of pure white snow... The dogs were having a great time romping in it, there was snow everywhere and it was 42' outside, just like a blizzard it was! They never live a boring life over there!
Yesterday the utility guys came out and dug out our driveway to see if our sewer plug problem was on their side and after them working for two hours we found out it was indeed on our side and our problem to find the issue and fix it... So needless to say Steve dug his heart out today looking for the root of the problem, found it and fixed it like the night in shinning armor he is... It ended up being a 10 ft ditch, replacing the pipe and finding a 3 ft long snag of roots in the pipe...
Here are some of the arsenal of tools Steve used to dig this huge ditch and fix out problem... That jack hammer was worth every dollar we spent on it today! Best find we've gotten this year and thankful that we ran across it after all of today's work...We put a Skyy bottle in the ditch when we were done with a message in the bottle reading "12.2009, Merry Christmas the shitters full! I hope it gives someone a laugh in the future! Made me laugh while putting it together... LoL

Hope everyone had a great day, Shann @}----

Baby it's cold outside...

2009-12-08T20:22:00.000-08:00

This is what the three amigos look like when it is "cold" outside; hey let us in! Can you see the sadness on Rosea the queen of I should be in front of the firelplace eyes... LoL

This was taken at 3:30 am on Monday morning... Those white things are snow and yes it is pathetic unless you live where there is no snow! To me it was reason to wake my children from a sound sleep to be overly excited in there sleepy lethargic non excited ears...

My elephant ear are all gone now, shrivelled up from last nights 27' degrees... Summer is officially gone from my backyard...

There was actually ice hanging off my elephant ear by the pond... Very pretty, but not pretty enough for me to get my feet wet in the morning cold...

It was very neat to drive to work with snow on my windshield, there was actually still snow on it when I came out at 11:30 to have lunch... So this was the excitement of the week...

I stayed home sick with a cold... I have the itchiest chest and a huge deep cough that came out of no where... I hate being sick and I doubt I will get much sleep tonight... I know I am whining, but my body hurts from coughing so hard... Tea, honey and lemon are a life savor, just wish it would last longer...

Hope you are all having a great week, Shann @}----

Had to share this....

2009-12-06T09:03:00.000-08:00

MERRY CHRISTMAS

the Shit'ters still FULL!!!

Ding Dong the Clog is GONE!!! 1:00 pm :)

The culprits are redwood roots...

Our days are never easy...

2009-12-05T21:09:00.000-08:00

My day started like most Saturdays, getting up and starting the laundry after Steve leaves for work... I went over to help Chelsea get ready for her new roommate to move in this morning... That is done now and it looks like they will all get along just fine... As you can see I had the dogs most of the day... The above picture is of them all eating their own bullysticks... And the lower pictures show how irritated Rosea can be when the other two play and annoy her... She has Old Lady hate for the younger ones in her eyes... The girls next door have the house all decorated and cleaned up which is nice and all is good on their home front...

I got a lot done today, the yard is raked, the pond is cleaned out and getting repaired, the laundry is done, the house vacuumed and the wood stove is burning, and all done with the help of these three...

Everything was grand until I did the last load of laundry tonight and the washer water starting backing up into the sinks and tubs... Another words our sewer is clogged... Steve worked on it with the hand snake tonight and we found tree roots, so needless to say we are going to need something that can chew them up tomorrow... No Poop'in in this house until it is fixed and no showers either... Three toilets and not one of them are serviceable... Good thing we have a child next door that has two poopers... Life is never boring and these kind of things always happen at night and in December!

Well enough complaining tonight....

Tomorrow is going to be another day of work and Steve & Shannon adventure...

Have a great night, Shann @}----

Jessie & Levi...

2009-12-01T20:55:00.000-08:00

I am finally getting to blog Jessie and Levi's school pictures... Jessie is in 2nd grade and Levi is in kindergarten this year, both are doing very well... I can't believe how fast they are growing!

I miss you two! Love Auntie Shann <3

Tug of War...

2009-12-01T20:46:00.000-08:00

Every night there is a little tug of war going on in my familyroom... These two go at it; Steve calling her a tough girl, whatchya got in you, show me your whos tough! She growls a prissy princess growl when he growls at her... Yes, he growls at her!!

Look he is white knuckling it! LoL

Do you think she could bring a smaller toy or rag to tug with??? Honestly she loves fabric...

Nose to nose! LoL... Can you hear the sweet nothings! I don't know about you, but I think he likes this dog... Silly man - Silly pup...

I hope everyone is having a great week, Shann @}----

Girls Fieldtrip to Oakdale...

2009-11-29T11:32:00.000-08:00

Girls Field Trip to Oakdale to the Cowboy Festival... It all started with Monica watching the morning TV show telling all of the places to be on a Saturday morning... Chelsea collects cowboy & cowgirl attire for her house... Needless to say I get a call and lets go to the festival and I am always willing to go on a field trip... So off we went to go to a little podunk festival, it was little but very nice and we had a good time finding a few treasures to bring home...

Monica with one of their treasures!

The girls in front of the Cowboy Museum and in the background the old Hershey's Factory...

We had to go to a couple of antique shops where Chelsea found an OUTHOUSE she just had to have! Only my daughter could fall in love with an outhouse! She now lives in a 3 bedroom, two bath with an outhouse!!! LoL

The outhouse being strolled across Main Street! It barely fit in the truck which was sort of comical in it's self...

We ate at this wonderful little dinner that had the absolute BEST food... These are the brownies and below you will see a half of Monica's pastrami sandwich... It would be worth the drive to go to just this little dinner... Gosh it was good!

Look Cows!!! Moooooooooooooo

Monica being bored in the back seat and Chelsea being bored with the camera...

Rancho Seco Sunset...

My find was the Elk iron cutout...

The outhouse and I bought Chelsea a stagecoach iron cutout...

We had a great time on our little Saturday jaunt... I hope you all had a great Saturday too!

----{@ Shann @}----

Best Man at his Best...

2009-11-26T10:02:00.000-08:00

Thought I would share some pictures from a few weeks ago... Cody was Brian's Best Man in his wedding... Handsome Guy isn't he; I just love this picture!

Their all a bunch of HANDSOME guys!

In the picture is Cody, Brian, Drake and Brian's two younger groomsmen...

Happy Day, Shann @}----

The trio quading at Foresthill...

2009-11-25T20:20:00.000-08:00

Look Dad, I rolled the quad down the hill and I'm not hurt!

This is the first time that both kids went quading at the same time together...

I love this picture of my three favorite people in the whole wide world...

Say Cheese!

Peace!

Got Mud??

The three had a great time riding the day away in Foresthill... The first time they have gone all together and the first time in Foresthill in the last three years... Looks like they had a great time and made memories to hold on to!

Happy almost Thanksgiving, Shann @}----

I had a great day today...

2009-11-25T17:45:00.000-08:00

I had a great day today...

I got to go visit with a Friend I haven't seen in 23 years, she was my math and biology teacher in 9th grade... She was one of those teachers you would never forget, one that made learning fun... She was loud, excepting and could bring any project to life... She had a wild sense of humor and still does, she gave me a love for animals that preyed on the love I had already had... She also had the love for dead animals that I loved too, having animals of all kinds in formaldehyde, skeletons of snakes, chickens and skulls; real science that you could touch and get up close too...

We both had a love for dogs, hers being her beloved Irish Wolfhounds which happen to be the size of a horse and her only being maybe 5' 2" was fun to be around... We had many adventures of showing dogs and I even got a chance to show her black sheep in the Butte County Fair... We have kept in touch off and on through the years but with having the kids, a job and life going so fast I had never had a chance to go up the hill and see her... We have one of those friendships that when you get a chance to talk to one another, catch up on life that it is like you haven't skipped a heart beat... She called yesterday and I jumped at the chance to go see her, she is 72 years old now and I can't keep putting people aside until I have time to go see them, so I went up for a visit today and had a hard time leaving... She is still the crazy full of life person that I remember from being a kid, still has her love for dogs & horses, still has a house of them... We talked and talked, cackled and cackled, and talked some more... It really was so darn nice to see her, to give her a hug and enjoy that cackle of a laugh that I used to love hearing...

It is amazing how people don't really change... I pulled up and she was standing there with this gorgeous long wavy gray hair going every which way, a furry leopard coat and boots on! I tell you if I could look that good at 72 I will be a happy camper, to hell with the purple I want the twinkling eyes and leopard coat! We enjoyed the day, and we went to lunch and a little bakery that had the best soup and chicken salad... What a nice day it was and one that I will hold dear to my heart for quit some time...

2nd Saturday in November...

2009-11-14T16:29:00.000-08:00

There is a story in the picture as you can imagine... Yesterday it was a cool 40' or so degrees in the morning.. I have learned that if you leave blankets for this pup she drags them in the middle of the yard where she freezes to bits instead of leaving them in her house where she can cuddle and stay warm... So on this particular morning I throw a couple of old huge towels in her house and call it that as the sun was coming up and she would warm up soon any how... But Steve on the other hand felt pitty on this pup (Mr. she's a dog and I didn't want one!) and decided to put her dog bed that she sleeps on next to our bed out in her house so she could stay cuddly warm! As you can see he came home to the green swiss alps; stuffing every where and the bed on the side of the house with needless to say NO stuffing left in the bed.... Do you think she had fun... I think she had a hay day! The funny thing is she is my dog and I got to clean it up! What is wrong with that picture! LoL

This is the porch that Steve has been building on this beautiful fall day over at the girls house to keep the rain from hitting the french doors... It should have been built a long time ago, but now is as good as never... It looks great and just needs to be roofed tomorrow, the sheeting is down and it is as strong as a barn... It is going to be great next summer as the dogs will have a great place to get out of the hot sun and relax...

I hope everyone is having a great weekend, Shann @}----

Whats happening...

2009-11-08T19:47:00.000-08:00

This dog (Tucker) got over being an idiot and now gets along with Bella! They played and the played and they played... Bella is tired to the bone because her and Tuck ran all over both yards all day long... It is wonderful that he came to his senses finally!
The weekend was busy!!!
Friday was a morning appointment, then to Costco, Sportsman's Warehouse and then up to visit with Joe, Susan and the kids... You can not believe how tall the kids are getting! It was really good to see Susan and get to visit with them all... Cody was busy being Brian's Best Man as he was getting married and starting a new life... I haven't got to see Cody in his tux but bet he was one handsome dude... I hear he did a great toast too and even took a date! and had a great time...
Saturday was a trip to the camera shop to see if I could get my camera and lens fixed... The good news is yes for the camera and possibly for the lens; it gets to get sent back to Nikon... Then we were off to Wild Sports, Wild Bills, the Gun Store and the Douglas Range where the need to be in the range and fire at clays ran through our minds... I think I need the feel and smell of a little burnt powder...
Sunday was a morning of laundry, mowing the lawns at both houses, the Michael Jackson Movie and coming home to help Steve start building the back porch next door...

This weekend was a great weekend as far as spending time with Steve and Bella... Life really is good in my neighborhood...

The next two days will be days filled with computer training; another new program to take on... I am hoping this one is everything we need it to be with the support that we are paying for... I am looking forward to learning and making this program everything we need it to be as I love learning and the program we had before limited us so... So hears to hoping my braincells are willing to expand...

I hope everyone has had a great weekend, Shann @}----

Alaskan Trick or Treaters

2009-11-02T12:29:00.001-08:00

GHOST LEVI
BAT JESSIE

HAPPY BAT & GHOST READY TO TRICK OR TREAT!

Angie made their costumes from scratch... I love them both and I am sure they had lots of fun... Just wish they could have visited my front porch and the Christmas porch next door...

Happy Day, Shann @}---

116 tricker treaters...

2009-10-31T21:22:00.001-07:00

Trick or Treat...

2009-10-31T17:44:00.000-07:00

Happy Halloween Everyone... I am sitting on the porch tonight handing out candy to the kiddies... I am going to have dry ice witches brew, lights and music... fun stuff!

Here I am...

2009-10-29T10:06:00.000-07:00

Yes with my amusement this makes me laugh! I feel like this sometimes! LoL
I have been a "bad" blogger... I am going to try to be better...
I haven't been taking pictures lately... I am still pouting about breaking my wide angle Len's in Mandalay Bays bathroom! I miss my wide angel and nothing is like it... I am going to try to send it off to be fixed but there is not much hope! boohoo
Steve is working on a job and his back hurts... I hate when he hurts all the time makes for a sad wife... Poor guy! Getting old sucks! ex specially when you have been so hard on your body when you were a young buck...
I am decorating for Halloween and it is so much fun! reminds me of pirates of the Caribbean... I am dressing up as a witch for work and for Halloween I am going to sit on my decorated porch with dry ice and a witches brew... fun stuff
The girls next door are decorating their house for Christmas and handing out candy canes, playing Christmas tunes and dressing as elves... They will probably be the talk of the block!
I love my scentsy jars! I have a nightlight jar at work and everyone loves the smell of home...
Work is work... Work is work... Work is work...
My Bella is a spoiled brat! and I am not kidding... I am reading the Dog Whisper and she has to learn who I am "the Leader of her Pack"... She thinks she is Queen now and that is a jump up from Princess! The little girl needs an attitude adjustment letting her know that I am indeed the Queen! I love her with all my might though... the little punk
My bills are paid... Life is good... I am blessed when it comes to life!
I really love the fact that my daughter is unhappy and disappointed with a C on a test! Makes me smile inside! She is a hard worker and would get straight A's if she didn't have to work and go to school... The kid is so much better at life than me at that age!
The wind is gone, the sun is out but it is still cold outside...
I saw a picture on FoxNews this morning that is still bothering me... I need to get over it!
I had lunch with my daughter today and loved every minute of it... :)
Wish I could twitch my nose and be back east with my Sis to celebrate Fall! 2000 miles is just to many miles in my book!
I get to go get rid of my grey tonight... This is a good thing as I am not ready for being silver in any way...
blah,blah,blah

Happy almost Friday Everyone, Shann @}----

Relaxing Sunday...

2009-10-18T14:31:00.000-07:00

I haven't put pictures of Bella on lately so here is my beautiful girl... She is a dainty, but starting to fill out 50 lbs of puppy... She won't let me out of her sight after being gone for a week; I missed her too! Steve took good care of her though and I actually think they bonded a bit... He brought her for rides with him over to the other place, to the store and even bought her, her own burrito at Taco Bell... Today we took her while we went out to lunch and to the grocery store, she rides really good in the truck and has patience while we run into the store... Shes a good pup!

I am wishing I had another day or two off... The weather is scrumptious and I love being home when it is cool and cloudy... Tonight I am making elk stew for dinner, carrots, potatoes, the works... The girls are asking me to go to the movies to see Gerrard Butler in his latest movie, but I am thinking now I should stay home since it is my last day off and savior the hubby and my pup...

I hope everyone has had a great weekend, Shann @}----

Home from Vegas...

2009-10-17T09:11:00.000-07:00

The picture above is Las Vegas traveling on 215 going west at 70 mph... Artsy don't you think?

Thursday in Vegas - Left the house at 10:45 ish and went to my first Las Vegas buffet (it was mighty good with all the fixings, corn bread pudding was the best) it is amazing how much food is in this city!
We then we went and saw Zombie Land which was funny, amusing and actually had a plot (Bill Murray was the best!) Woody wasn't bad either and actually it is the best show I have seen him in... The movie was better than I thought it would be...
Got back to the house around 3 pm and decided with a wild hair in my ars that it was time to go and I really needed three days before going back to work because the anxiety of having to go back to reality was making me crazy! I hate thinking about going back but it takes over... We were on the road and heading out of Vegas at 4:00 pm and got home at 1:00 am with 1505 miles under my dodge hemi's belt... The last 60 miles were hard!
Driving 9 hours in the middle of the night and then waking up at 6 am gives you a hangover that is unpleasant and makes you realize you are not a young human anymore... (Joe this qualifies you as young!)
We drove by Buck Owens Crystal Palace but did not stop which Steve could not understand, after all it is a monument like Hoover Dam! LoL
Bella was very happy to see me! so was Rosea and Tucker!
Yesterday was a day of errands... Costco, Raleys and taking Cody to ARC...
I took a two hour nap and then woke up at 2:00 am screwing up my rested feeling...
Today I need to do laundry, clean house, love on the dog and work in the yard...
I miss Vegas and hanging out with the girls already... another vacation under my belt...

I hope everyone is having a great weekend since the weather is so absolutely beautiful!

Happy day everyone, Shann @}----