Splendiferous!!!

originally it was my responsibility to take the pictures... and then upload them to the computer... and Sara would post them but since she has been so sick lately... I decided to help empty the inbox by using the one-huge-conglomerate-posting method to put us current.

[[the official ring... just passing though]]





[[the official crash... just passing though]]



[[officially frustrated... politics... rising gas pricing... etc.]]



[[officially hanging in there... a long time...]]




[[before the official picture...]]



[[the official human spelling b]]



[[unofficial spider man...]]





[[unofficial downtime...]]



[[officially waiting...]]



[[official farewell...]]








[[the official redheads...]]




[[the official sisters...]]



[[the official picture...]]



[[official brother time...]]

Grand Canyon

I've been a terrible blogger. I begged and begged Stanford to download all the pictures we had and then I never made a post. So here I am, making things right. :) Last month we went to the Grand Canyon, West Rim with our friends Matt and Shawna. It was their first camping experience together and our first with friends. The night before we got together and made tin foil dinners and came up with a plan for our adventures the next day. We drove and packed our car up to its limit. We left around 5:30pm and headed out to Kingman where we were planning on camping. A little ways on the drive out we noticed a billboard pointing towards an entrance to the West Rim and decided to take that road out and find a camping spot off the road somewhere. That was really hard to come by but we finally found something closer than we normally like off the road that had no signs saying we were on government land or on private property. This is what we came up with ...








We had fun setting up camp, building a fire pit in the ground with coals, and cooking our tin foil dinners and peach cobbler in a dutch oven. Then we sat beneath the stars talking & turning off our flashlight every time we'd see a car come by ... just in case we weren't suppose to be there. The only time we ever had a good scare was at 1am when we were bolted awake at the sound of gunfire that felt like it was in our camp. The gunfire ended up getting quieter and Stanford and Matt got out of their tents and found car lights in the distance where they figured the gun fire was now coming from - probably shooting things under the full moon. They stayed up talking long after the car left, which kept me feeling very safe.

Next morning we got up, ate breakfast, played some catch phrase, and headed on our way to the West Rim. We had such a good time. We were a little disappointed when we got to the West Rim because you had to pay to park, pay to go on the Skywalk (which was our main goal) and pay to take a bus out to any of the areas on the West Rim. We ended up vetoing the Skywalk and spent a couple of hours at the different area's the bus took us to. Here are some pictures. It was a very fun day!

When I was a kid...

my Grandpa "Golden Carlston" liked to go for Sunday drives around the neighborhood and admire the lawns and flowerbeds or the any changes in the community. I can also remember going for walks with my sister and looking at homes and admiring various architectural features and dreaming up our future homes with all their grandeur. So today, in the spirit of tradition, Sara took me on a walk and took a picture of everything she liked.

Time for a little croquet

Last weekend Blake and his girlfriend Whitney were in town. On Sunday they came over and spent some time with us. We ate dinner, watched a movie, watched some episodes of The Office, played croquet and a played a game. Here's some pictures highlighting some of our fun. Blake is such a riot. He had never played croquet before but was quite good at it. Whitney and I were way behind and Stanford swept in and won the game. We both loved spending time with Blake and Whitney. You guys are welcome back anytime, especially for a little croquet!

side note: do you notice the gray cat in some of the pictures? This cat loves to hang out right outside our front door and if it could would make itself comfortable in our home. When we started to play croquet it wouldn't leave us alone. Blake and I were very much opposed to the cat and tried to send it on its way several times. Stanford and Whitney had much for compassion for it. Can you tell I'm not a cat person. Sorry Stanford.

Awkwardness

I've had plenty of awkward moments lately to last a lifetime. I'm at the point now where I'm beginning to laugh at it all because it's too comical. And yet the stressfulness I'm experiencing because of these awkward moments is just too real and painful at times. I just got home from a child life conference where I spent last Thursday thru Sunday in San Diego with my co-worker and family. I knew it was going to be awkward before I left and yet, too me, it was too late to back out of it. Well let me tell ya, it was one crazy weekend. I will never do that again. But it's over and I'm back to work and now dealing with awkward situations with my co-worker. To the point where I'm going to start looking for another job. That doesn't mean I'm going to do anything about it yet, it just means that I'm going to start the process. I've been at this job for a little less than a year, but in the child life field for 5. I'm at the bottom of the todem pole here and I don't like it. It's hard going from a job where it doesn't matter if you have 18 years of experience or 3 months, you're treated with the same respect and given the same opportunities. Here I feel as if I'm getting dumped on and treated unprofessionally and I'm tired of it. At least I'm getting stronger at standing up for myself and voicing my opinions. That's a difficult thing for me to do. I'm more passive and try to keep peace. But there are times when you've just got to suck it up and stand your ground. I'm learning ever so slowly. And my husband has been so good at helping me.

Here are some pictures of my "miller" friends who I miss ever so much. Being around them at the child life conference was wonderful. I had forgotten how great it was to work with them.

Part of the gang at Hard Rock Cafe. What a fun night we had of laughing and telling stories. Boy do I love these girls.


Stacy and Remi who happened to have blurry faces in the photo above.


Rita (our best boss ever) and Debi - her sidekick ;)


Carrie (who is constantly behind the camera) and Araceli


Saturday night - Allison, Araceli, Judy, me, Trisha & Alicia. Oh and don't forget Ryan, Trisha's husband who's taking the picture! We went to Rockbottom Brewery at the Gaslamp district and ended up getting seated right under the band. We could barely talk to each other. It was pretty comical. We parked in a structure where you exit down what felt like a spiral staircase, only we were driving down it in a mini van. As soon as I looked over I saw a large pillar awfully close and Judy's car scraps right along it. Judy's reaction is "Oh well, I'm getting a new car!" We could barely contain our laughter at how crazy this "exit" was designed. What a fun night.

wild burros

I am pretty sure we weren't suppose to be hiking up the wash when we crossed between rails of the fence and slid down the sandy bank to the bottom of the wash and started scrambling up over the gentle alluvial streams which ended as quickly as they started. Each one contained it own species of tadpoles and other strange spidery creatures, occasionally Sara's foot would slip into one of these clear pools and she would let out a scream. We continued up and through the wash until we were well above the ranch and its surveillance, where a large gathering of Bristlecone Pine and the Single-leaf Pine were waiting to greet us. We sat under the shade for moment before we scramble up the side of the wash to discover the remnants of several fallen bunk houses with only square concrete slabs remaining and wooden slats scattered across the buckwheat, which was also sticking to our socks and shoes. There was a rusty bed frame sitting squarely on one of the slabs as if untouched by the wind which had tossed the walls and roof far from its concrete ring. I sat down on the slab and Sara sat at the edge of bed frame. I pulled from my pack a tuna sandwich and ate while we listened to the buzz of bees in the surrounding trees. Over the small bank we could hear large hoofs galloping, it sounded like chased outlaws. In few seconds they are gone like an invisible train passing. After we finished eating we climbed up the hill hoping to find a better trail for our return trip but the ground was blanketed with rocks and cactus and the galloping trail we were searching for seemed no where in site. We hiked to edge of small ridge but before we could catch our balance, galloping straight towards us came two wild burros at full speed, at the last minute they bee-lined down the bank and into the gully below. I quickly assured Sara that they were harmless but this was only after they were far out of sight. Then they circled back and we quickly scrambled over the lose rocks and cactus trying to find a place to avoid their path. They ran straight up the hill and turn back and ran down and around and then they were gone. We sat on the edge waiting for a sign to know of if it was safe to continue. After several minutes of silence we waved good-bye to the wild burros and continued on our way.


spring mt. ranch

Tanner turns 4

Stanford and I headed out to CA this weekend for my friend Lulu's wedding and decided at the last minute to stay for Tanner's birthday party and go to her reception that evening. We had such a great time playing with Brayden and Tanner in the morning and helping Tasha get ready for the baseball party. She is quite the hostess. This party had everything: popcorn, cotton candy, cracker jacks, a baseball pinata, baseball games, cupcakes and more. The kids had a blast! Happy Birthday Tanner!

Me and Tanner in the morning waiting for mom and dad to wake up


Brayden - is this kid not adorable?!


Tanner with his birthday donut. He ate this one and another one!


Leila, Tanner, Jake, Vance, Blake & Colin - the birthday crew


Tasha's cute set up of the food


Tanner eating his popcorn


The kids going crazy over the candy from the pinata


One of the games: "Batter, Batter, Pitcher" Like, "Duck, Duck, Goose"


Tanner intent on hitting this ball


Blowing about to blow out the candles on the cupcakes



Present time...isn't this everyone's favorite part of a party?


Cousin Cass with Grandma Snowball

Fun in the Sun

Last weekend two of my co-workers, Cathy and Laura, and I planned a bbq/picnic for some work folks. We had it at a park in North Las Vegas with tons of food and games to play. The weather was great and we had a good turn out and had lot of fun!

Cathy getting the bbq ready for some hamburgers and hot dogs


Cindy (our boss) taking Cathy's little boy Caleb around for a walk


Stanford ready to play some frisbee


Stanford and Duane (Cathy's husband) grillin' up


Some of the crew that showed up:
Top to Bottom L-R:
Spike & Samantha, Cynthia, Cathy,
Michelle & baby, Laura & me!


Cindy playing hot potatoe with all the kids


Stanford & Duane playing b-ball with Cathy's neice