So while I was out flinging in the Spring ....

my boyz were out looking to add to our family! And they succeeded!

This was after El and Brian went to the big REI sale of used/returned gear and equipment (can you believe, they bought yet another tent? Yeah, neither could I!!) - but they have new water shoes, hiking boots, fleece hats & vests, socks (people return socks - how odd!) and even a wonderful laptop bag for Brian at school!

So then the boys decided to go out to Camarillo to the Scout Store and after that - well, the animal shelter is only just over THERE. So that was the first phone call (hey we're at the animal shelter - you're where? LOL). Alas, that didn't pan out and so they toddled over to Newbury Feed to check that out (this, I must confess, was MY idea so I guess I'm sort of to blame for the eventual result!). The owner of Newbury Feed runs out to the Bakersfield Animal Shelter and adopts the dogs, gets them spayed & neutered, and then puts them up for adoption in his store. He doesn't make money on this venture - he breaks even (if that), but since Bakersfield's Shelter is such a high-kill facility (70-75%), he is giving dogs a chance they wouldn't get :)

Anyway, El and Brian fell in love with "Molly" - a look alike to our Zeke. Then they found out that another family said they were coming back for her. So - they waited (and made back up plans). At the end of the day, the other family was a no show, and Molly was on her way to our house!

The other dogs (including her look alike big cousin Zeke) have taken to her really well. The cats - not so much! Max hissed at her this morning and she batted him in the face - so he's been pouting! Sabrina won't come out of my scrapbook room - totally disgusted with another female in the house! LOL!

Anyway, here's a picture of Molly enjoying her chew toy (on the couch no less!)

and here'a a pic of Molly with her look alike - our Zeke boy!

More photos to follow in the weeks ahead!

Trish

Spring fling crop was wonderful!

Yesterday was Ginger's first crop of the year - and it was FUN! Star, Dani and I had a fun day of creativeness and girly time and just can't believe how FAST time goes by when one is having fun! Wouldn't it be great if our workdays went by just as fast?

Speed aka Dani played with bling & glitter (and woohoo, shared a photo of her & Mike Piazza at Petco Stadium - thank you!!!), Star experimented with different techniques (lots of oohs and aahs from my side of the table!) and then started to work on one of Ginger's kits - the amazing Goofy book - its just so wickedly cute! I can't wait to see it finished - cuz then I'll work on mine!!

Thanks to Ginger and Ginger's Mom for a VERY enjoyable day away from it all! Mom - you did AWESOME before Ginger arrived (woohoo)!!! I still can't believe I won the big prize of the night - a Quickutz Revolution - its SOOO cute!!!! What a treat - and all thanks to the Diva Happy Dance and the extra good luck rub from Mom!

Trish

SINGING A HAPPY SONG!!!

oh joy oh joy, oh wonderful happy joy joy!
Last night, totally on a fluke, we were able to sell our huge Suburban to a family that drove by, noticed the 'burb on the curb and said "hey wanna sell?" We are SO doing the happy dance. Let's face it, in the land of soon to be $4.00 a gallon gas, a 3/4 ton 'burb with a 454 wasn't going to sell and yet IT DID!!!
WOOHOO!!! And its the sale that keeps saving money - today I'm calling my insurance company and we don't have to renew the DMV registration... and hey, best yet, the mailman can now deliver our mail into our mailbox without having to get out of his Jeep (he umm was apparently irritated and wouldn't always close the mailbox), but now he can deliver (though probably not a snow & sleet type of dude!) and the mail will stay in the mailbox!
Yippee!

Happy Easter!

El is creating Easter dinner as I type - boneless leg of lamb, veggies, mashed spuds ... and of course, mint sauce! Yummm... can't wait! We rushed to Pavilions this afternoon because I suddenly remembered I had no mint sauce - one just cannot have lamb without it - its a rule, numbered even. But that has been fixed and I'm calm. Of course, it wasn't my fault that the giant bag of Cadbury Mini Eggs jumped into our cart as I walked by them. It wasn't! I gasped and whoops, there they were! In the cart, all pretty ... now they're home and even prettier! Its my one weakness at Easter ... the one candy that makes me squeal with delight (an homage to Ginger) and makes me do the happy dance! Yes, candy can do that! Frightening how easily I'm amused isn't it?

I'm on vacation this week - YAHOO!!! (visual - another happy dance!) I was off on Friday so yesterday felt like Sunday and today feels like a really odd Monday - I sure hope that straightens out this week! LOL! Brian and I have nothing planned, especially as El has to work. Of course, work already called on Friday - good grief, they were only there for half-day, and they called! HELLOOOO - I'm on vacation! So it looks like I'll be perusing the caller ID all week.

Best part is that on Saturday, I'm going to Ginger's crop in Santa Clarita! (okay... everyone with me this time - happy dance! Hey I feel like Ellen with all this happy dancing!) This week I need to figure out what I want to make, create or just chat about! I had taken a break from Scout stuff, but now I'm way behind so I don't think that was such a great plan! I need to get the photos organized, paper set and then bring some back up cards to make (that will make me open the box from QVC that arrived the other day!). We have a new printer and I have a project in mind ... I need to print photos and see if I can actually move the project from my brain to actual production mode. That means breaking out the bind-it-all that is still in the box ... well I have a week so I should be able to do this right? (ha ha ha - yeah I'm laughing too!)

Hope you all have a lovely Easter day and a happy hoppy spring!
Trish :)

I got tagged!

So I finally get around to reading blogs of my friends and whadya know, I got tagged by the one and only Ginger! How cool is that!! And there's rules!!!

* Link to your tagger and post these 3 rules on your blog.*
Share 7 facts about yourself on your blog, some random, some weird.* (Okay considering I have run of the mouth disease and share everything about me with everyone, I think I may have to dredge up oddball things from my youth -- mmm and then again maybe not!
Tag 7 people at the end of your post by leaving their names as well as links to their blogs. Let them know they are tagged by leaving a comment on their blog (course, if you're like me and don't know 7, then make it up as you go! LOL!)

1. I don't do horror films - last horror film I saw was Carrie and I only saw that cuz John Travolta was in it (and he actually had real hair then, not that helmet thing he has now).
2. I saw Saturday Night Fever 9 times at the theater ... okay so have I explained about the Travolta fetish in my youth yet? I tell ya, that is WEIRD!
3. My parents took me to horseback riding lessons at Pickwick Stables in Griffith Park when I was little. I always went just as far as the "trot" command because as soon as the horse trotted, I bounced out of the saddle, fell on my ass and refused, in tears, to get back on. This routine obviously had to be changed when I got my own horse in the late 1980's. Course, it took me a year to actually ride her - I told people I just had a REALLY big horse-dog!
4. When I was little I had to go to a French daycare ... I don't remember much except for the fact they had applesauce they would make you eat. To this day, I HATE applesauce with a passion.
5. I went to school in England for several months in 1971. Talk about culture shock. I was behind, called a yank and basically had a horrible time. My aunt would rescue me on a weekly basis. But I would love the opportunity to live thereit as an adult.
6. I'm actually starting to cook a little more, but get stumped with everyday stuff. But show me a crockpot and I'm your buddy!
7. To this day, I wish I would have gone to college.

okay not sure I know how to link you to other blogs but here is who I tag: Dani (speed!) speed's zone, Mo { got blog? } , Susan Creative Destination , Kathy L., my sister Marie (ha ha see what happens when you enter blogland!) Couch Clan Idaho ! and uhhhh I need to find some people with blogs! LOL!

I miss that 1 hour already!

Well happy spring - the bunnies are hopping, the birds are chirping and I lost an hour of my Sunday! poo! I'll miss that hour tomorrow morning even more!

So last night El and I went on a date to a newer restaurant in town. Actually, it was the 5th restaurant we tried to get in and by the time we got there, a 30 minute wait no longer sounded unreasonable! Anyway, I've got no restriction at all with the band so basically I can eat whatever - so ummm I did. Brian was working a show at his school so we had some time to have an actual date.

So we went to Sutter's Mill - this is the new location in Simi. Years ago, we used to go to the one in Mission Hills on Sepulveda. Loved it. Not so much on the new place. At one point, I could actually hear Gordon Ramsey in my head reviewing the food ... from this I learned I watch too much t.v. and also that Gordon is right! Serving packaged salad like I get at Vons - bad idea. Worse idea is when they can't bother to even wash it to at least give the illusion that it was fresh. For $20 a plate, could they not find anything besides the plastic salad dressing container tilted on the bagged lettuce? Apparently not. Lemonade - ick. Nuff said. I had steak (angus per the menu), 3 shrimp and a stuffed baked potato. Best thing was the shrimp though sadly I'm positive they came frozen out of the box. I'm used to steak at home - with seasoning! Having a lump of meat without seasoning is well ... I don't get it. El had a rib-eye that he said wasn't seasoned either. We also noticed people around us using their salt & pepper shakers a lot so I don't think it was just us and Gordon Ramsey on our shoulder! LOL! So, $50 later we left and then wondered why we didn't go to our favorite local Red's BBQ (who have nothing to worry about from this restaurant).

Today we're going to plan a Saturday trip to Mexicali for I hope this month -- if not the beginning of April. I SO need to go back. Meanwhile, I'm going to plan out lunches this week and go shopping so I'm at least prepared at work. Gotta work the band in order for it to work! I still miss my lunch buddy, and I can see where I could fall into the traps of drive-thrus if I don't put the brakes on real quick. Fighting the battle of the food isn't ever going to be easy - even armed with a band - its a lot of in my head stuff (complete with arguing) so if I can just remove having to think about what to have each day, I think it will be easier.

I put in for vacation this past week at work - nothing planned, just some time off. First week is Brian's spring break at the end of this month and then the other week is when the boys are off at Scout Camp on Catalina Island. I figure I can be at Camp too - right here in the house and get some scrapping done (or not). Maybe meet a diva or two for coffee in the morning if schedule permits. Hey there's a plan!

Well, I guess I should try and organize the mess in the family room before the Atlanta race starts today. We have to go to Costco (coupon book expiring) and fill up the gas tank for the week (oh joy but thank you for the Costco gas station!) and Brian needs to do his laundry. Sundays - so much to do, and today an hour less to get it done in!