Excitement

While I was feeding my baby some yummy Garden Vegetables, I saw a man slip behind the shed in our backyard. As I was wondering if I was crazy or if I should call 911, a policeman jumped the fence into my yard (I didn't see him do this, but since there's only one gate and he came in on the opposite side, I'm pretty sure I'm right) and started looking for the man. The man then jumped the fence into my backyard neighbors yard, where another policeman waiting for him in the front yard, and the policeman in my yard pulled his gun. The two on the other side of the fence started to run (well, the man ran across the backyard and the policeman ran, on the front yard, to get him) and the policeman in my yard tried to decide which fence it would be best to jump (they're chain-link, so they're not hard), eventually deciding on the back fence. As I was watching this all play out, poor baby thought I was ignoring her. So she got fussy and we finished the meal. A few minutes later, I called 911 to see if the man had been caught. They weren't any help so I called the Police Department. The man had been caught and I was safe. Phew! It was a little too much excitement for the day!

Animals

Elephants are amazing! They are so huge, and yet they can do some pretty good tricks.



Then there are the gorillas. Watch out for when the leader emerges from the cave. All the rest step aside to make room for him!



And the pelicans! Aren't the little balls of fluff so cute?



The flamingos were being stubborn, so I wasn't able to get a picture of any of them standing on one leg. Too bad!

Crazy

I am officially crazy. I'm flying tomorrow. With my 7 month old. Do you realize that it's the busiest flying day of the year? What was I thinking?!?! When I scheduled the ticket I thought it was a convenient day. Which it is. Hence, millions of people also chose the same day. Next time I decide to travel on the busiest day of the year, will someone please remind me of how I'm feeling right now? Please?

Packing is also an interesting experience this time around. Last time I flew with her, she was 4 months. Pretty easy. No food, no toys, no must-have stuffed bear. This time, 7 months, it's a lot different. Food for lunch and dinner and extra just in case our plane gets delayed. Finger foods so that she can feel independent and thus accept willingly the foods that I offer with a spoon. Toys to keep her occupied so that our seat-mate doesn't get a new friend trying to climb into her lap. Stuffed bear so that (hopefully) she'll realize it's nap time and actually sleep (can you see my crossed fingers?). And that's just in the carry-on. Oh yikes!

Autumn

It's gorgeous! I love Autumn! The changing of the leaves, the pine cones falling from the trees, the squirrels gathering food, the chance to wear jackets and sweaters once again.... Life is good!

Zoo

I went to my first pumpkin patch ever. I think I'll try again next year, because all of the pumpkins were picked. I think if I go earlier next year (ie, not the day before Halloween) the pumpkins will still be in the patch. Oh well. That's not the story.

At the pumpkin patch there was a "zoo". You weren't supposed to pet the animals, but they were fun to see. Especially fun were the long haired chickens, the fluffy clawed chickens, and the balancing goat (my personal favorite). Somehow this baby goat was in the sheep pen. As we were looking at the sheep, the goat jumped into the food trough (empty) and then onto the nearby sheep! Of course, I didn't have my camera out (because really, who wants to take a picture of dirty sheep?). But when I saw the balancing goat, I realized that it was time to take out the camera. Luckily for me, the goat was in a showing off mood, so he obligingly did his trick again. Phew! That time I got my picture.

Art

Do you like art museums? I didn't think I did, but I had no idea where that idea came from. So, I decided to go to the local art museum and have a cultural experience. I went with a positive attitude. There was a picturesque pond with geese on the side of the driveway. A friendly docent inside the museum. A good beginning. Then we walked through the museum. It took all of 10 minutes (that's being generous). The docent told us that there was an outside sculpture walk. So we got a map and went to take a walk. The "path" started in the parking lot, went next to the picturesque pond, and ended, though the sculptures were clearly visible on the other side of the pond. In an effort to get to them, we crossed over the dirt surrounding the pond, found where the path continued, and followed it...straight to a gazebo with a man sleeping in it. We took one of the forks, and walked through beautiful greenery...straight to where the path ended.

I've decided not to base my enjoyment of art museums in general on this experience.

Rose "Bush"

I missed my opportunity. We had a wild rose "bush" (for lack of a better descriptive word), complete with thorns, growing on the side of our house. It was very out of control. Limbs were growing higher than the basketball hoop on the patio (which, by the way, is in the back yard), out over the path leading to the gate, basically it had overtaken that side of our house. I was going to take a picture before I had it pruned. JP said he would come of Friday to do it. He came a day early. I didn't take the picture. I missed my opportunity. But I've since taken a picture of the pruned rose "bush". Use your imagination to see the out of controlness of it.

Tall

Have you ever noticed that there are a lot of common, daily tools that are not made for tall people? I'm tall. I enjoy being tall. Until it comes time to mop my floor, or put my not-so-baby in her stroller. There are strollers that are made for tall parents, but they are more expensive than the average-size-parent stroller. And I've never seen a mop made for tall people.

There are instances (not necessarily tools) that are easier for tall people. Reaching items that are on the highest shelf, for example. But I'd have to say there are just as many instances that are easier for short people. Reaching things on the lowest shelf comes to mind.

The point is, I just finished mopping my floor and I thought how convenient a longer mop handle would be. That's all.

What's Your Sign?

Pressure

Pressure can be a good thing or a bad thing.

Example 1: This blog. I still don't really get the whole blog thing, but because of peer pressure I have it anyway. Now, though, I can relate to Kelly in wondering if my blog is good enough. Will people read it? Will they like it? Will they come back to it over and over again?

Example 2: Cleaning my house. People are coming over to visit for the weekend and the house needs to be clean. If it's not clean, what will my guests think? How will I feel about myself? What about my baby scooting all over the floor? She might choke if I don't sweep!

Example 1 is bad pressure.

Example 2 is good pressure.

Dough

No, not the monetary kind. The food kind. Especially cookie dough. Isn't it great? Sometimes, I make cookies (to take to my neighbors, of course) just so that I can eat part of the dough. I know, it grosses many people out (including my husband), but it's pretty hard to beat a spoonful of white chocolate macadamia nut cookie dough, especially if it has a large glass of milk to go with it! YUM!

Pain

Three days of painting, running at turbo speed (the advice of an unnamed brother is not always wise), and sleeping on a bed that is not a sleep number (have you heard of them? Have you tried them? If not, you should spend a night in a Raddisson hotel. You'll be hooked! This is not a sales pitch by the way) wrecked havoc with my back. PAIN!!! But now, thanks to my brother, Blake, who graduated from chiropractic college and introduced me to the concept of chiropractic, and Phil, who referred me to a great chiropractor in SLC (Michelle, too, referred me) I've become a believer in chiropractic and am a regular adjustee (?). So I went to my chiropractor today and now I feel GREAT!!! Thank you CHIROPRACTORS!!!

Flowers

Words

Where do words come from? Somebody must make them up, but who? Rachel Ray (EVOO has been officially added to an official dictionary [I don't remember which one])? Why not me? Or you? Why not? If you could make up a word and add it to an official dictionary of your choice, what word would you make and what would it mean? Mine would be

RUBBERBANDED

It means that no matter how tight you're pulled, you can always bounce back. Here's a sample sentence. "I'm rubberbanded with homework right now."

People

Let's talk about people. Aren't they great? It's good to know that you can go anywhere and find someone with whom to talk. And if you're lucky, you'll even be able to find some topics in common! Sometimes it takes a bit of conversation before the common topics are found, but I believe even uncommon conversation is good, because then you might be able to use it in the future to converse with someone else.

Blogs

Well, I've decided to get with the new BLOG MANIA. We'll see how long I last. Maybe it'll be like a, journal that anyone can read? I don't really like that idea. We'll say it's more of an ongoing Christmas letter. Yeah. To the entire world. Interesting. I'll have to ponder that one a little more.