Battle Between Spring and Winter

I pulled into the driveway one day to find ice hanging from the roses.

Around here we say that spring is winter battling summer, and SUMMER ALWAYS WINS!!!

Progress...

Tim and Nate working out the outside of the house. The fascia you see above and behind them used to be dark brown, but thanks to Larry the '70's looking color is gone, and we're liking the look of our house! We had to replace the wood trim around different areas in front of our house and that's what Tim and Nate are working on. We have yet to stain it...just waiting for a few days in a row above 40 degrees!

View from the front. If you look at the stairs they'e on, that used to be the color of the wood and fascia. We're taking votes for color of stain for the cedar trim. (The door will be black.)

Trip to San Diego

Don't you just love my photographic abilities? Amazing shot, right? NOT!!! The sad, sad truth is that I just deleted all the pictures of our trip to San Diego, but I found a picture online of the view along the San Diego Bay where we stayed, so this will have to do for now (sniff, sniff).

For those who don't already know, here's the story of our trip. Tim told me last month there was no way he was doing a surprise party for my 40th birthday (which I did for him...kind of...the
"surprise" is another story). We'd been thinking for a few weeks about what to do that would be a big celebration. Tim had a ticket voucher and companion fare he had to use before April, so getting away seemed like the best choice, but the arrangements for leaving kids is always such a big deal sometimes it seems easier not to get away. About the time we were talking about details, Jason (my cousin) sent me a facebook note saying he'd babysit the kids for a weekend because we had hosted him and his friends for a weekend. We jumped on the offer, and it worked out great. The kids know him and think he's the greatest...he's in college, he juggles fire, and doesn't run out of fun things to do...doesn't get better than that. They had a great time while we were gone...and ate a TON! We told Jason to juggle with fire in our back yard so our nosy neighbor would call the police, but they didn't do it. They did teach Champ to play soccer though, which was pretty amazing.

San Diego was great. We found great sushi (it's a mission thing), and Tim loves military history, so we spent Saturday morning touring onboard the Midway. The only bad part was whatever I ate for lunch at the diner on board the Midway...don't know if the salad wasn't cleaned right or what, but my stomach wasn't happy for a few hours after that...and that was when we were touring the sick bay and mess hall...yuck! If Tim had been alone, he would have gone over to the Russian sub next, but by that time I didn't know how many more tight under deck quarters I could handle, and let's face it. I was there to see Sea World, so that's where we spent the rest of the day. I'm not much into the zodiac signs, but I love ocean things...always have, always will. People at work who are into zodiac signs walk in to my office and comment that I must be a Pices (fish) and I am. I LOVED Sea World, and would go back a thousand times. Tim and I got a DVD to share with the kids of Shamu's performance, and 3 of them want to work there when they grow up. I told them I support them as long as I get tickets and get to pet Shamu...and feed the turtles, and dolphins and seals...you get the picture. Just don't make me strap a scuba tank to my back and dive, and I'll be fine...I guess I'm not all Pices afterall. (And I'm sure growing up on a dryfarm in a land locked state and learning to swim in a cow trough has nothing to do with that.) I can't wait to take the kids, so I guess this is where we start saving for the next trip. Tim said he wants to spend an entire day on board the Midway and the Russian sub, which is fine with me if I don't have to miss Sea World to do it. Aside from the fun we had, it was nice to just spend time away with Tim. We never, never, never get to talk that much uninterrupted by either children or sleep, and it's good to stay connected. Seriously, if anyone else is thinking of taking a couple trip, we'll take kids for a weekend...just don't all go at once and leave us here with the kids! :-)

Staring 40 In the Face

...Difficult to admit and even more difficult to say. There's just something about the word "forty" connected to your age. Thirty made my heart skip a beat as I recalled being at a friend's 15th birthday party and saying, "Just think...in 15 more years we'll be 30!!!" Back then it was a lifetime. Forty to me has always meant mature, and on a good day I hope I can fit in that category, but honestly there are days when I still look at my life, my family, my responsibilities, and want to run away. I've decided this may be the year I start subtracting, so for those who are still keeping track, that would make me 38 today. Creative math aside, here I am, staring 40 in the face, loving where I'm at in life, and yet remembering 20 like it was yesterday. Just for fun, I looked up what was going on the year I was born...in case anyone besides me needs a little perspective.

In 1969:

1. The first man walked on the moon.

2. The Beetles gave their last public concert

3. Yes folks, I was born the year of Woodstock!

4. And like it or not, I was born the year Richard Nixon became president.

5. Boeing 747 made its maiden flight.

6. The "halfpence" ceased being legal tender in Britain.

7. (And I know you're all dieing to know this) Wal-Mart incorporated.

8. The Saturday Evening Post printed its last edition.

9. The first troop withdrawals were made from Vietnam.

10. (The best of all) Sesame Street premiered.

And I almost forgot the very, very, very, very best part of the entire day...I blew out all 40 candles in one (big) breath!