"Eight" is not so "Super"

...Used to be a fan of the Super 8 motel chain. Now, not so much. We stayed there the final night of our three-week road trip. Room 108 at the Super 8 at exit 11 in El Paso, TX.

We accidentally left our camera in the room and didn't realize it until we were an hour from Tucson. We called the motel as soon as we realized we didn't have the camera and they assured us they found it in our room. We were thrilled! (I had taken approximately 300 photos during the trip and didn't want to lose them!)

We assumed they would mail it to us, but quickly found out that they weren't willing to do that and our only option was to schedule a pick up with UPS or Fed Ex. We learned that UPS & Fed Ex require that the item to be picked up be boxed and ready. Another call to the motel to have them tell us, "Well, we can find a box around here to put it in, but we don't have any of that packing tape they use." Oh.My.Word!

What's a camera-less girl to do? Get in the car (the same day we returned from a 4,500 mile road trip, mind you) and make a 316 mile drive back to El Paso (that's 316 miles ONE WAY). For the love! On the drive there I called the motel again to see if speaking with someone new might result in a different outcome. Once again we were told that they were unwilling to mail it to us. I asked him, "Do you realize we are driving from Tucson, Arizona to pick it up? Is there anyway you could PLEASE mail it to us?" They were unwilling, so off we went!

Today I called the Super 8 Corporation to kindly tell them my story. Many times customer service reps are so helpful. I didn't happen to speak with one of those. Unfortunately, it was pretty much a dead end conversation.

The moral of the story? Never again will we spend our money with the Super 8 motel chain. Don't get me wrong. We realize we were the ones who made the mistake in the first place by leaving our camera there (and are so thankful sticky fingers didn't walk off with it!). But we were surprised that they were completely unwilling to accomodate us by mailing it to us. (And of course we were going to pay for everything!)

Ok, that's my rant. Soon I will post brilliant pictures from our wonderful road trip!

American Flag

This Tuesday, September 11, 2007, an American flag should be displayed outside every home, apartment, office, and store in the United States. Every individual should make it their duty to display an American flag on this sixth anniversary of our country's worst tragedy. We do this to honor those who lost their lives on 9/11, their families, friends, and loved ones who continue to endure the pain, and those who today are fighting at home and abroad to preserve our cherished freedoms.

In the days, weeks, and months following 9/11, our country was bathed in American flags as citizens mourned the incredible losses and stood shoulder-to-shoulder against terrorism. Sadly, those flags have all but disappeared. Our patriotism pulled us through some tough times and it shouldn't take another attack to galvanize us in solidarity. Our American flag is the fabric of our country and together we can prevail over terrorism of all kinds

Fly an American flag of any size on 9/11. Honestly, Americans should fly the flag year-round, but if you don't, then at least make it a priority on this day.

God Bless You and God Bless America!

A Year and a Half

Jackson is 18 months old today! At his checkup this morning he weighed in at 29.2 lbs (75th-90th percentile) and measured 35 inches tall (95th percentile). He's gone from merely walking to running - as fast as he can - in the past few weeks. He's also mastered the art of climbing. It's not unusual to walk into the kitchen and find him standing on top of the table. Yikes! That's a little frightening for mommy & daddy! He isn't fond of sitting still in his high chair for too long during meals, but he thoroughly enjoys climbing in and out of it on his own many times a day. He loves playing with balls and has even started kicking them now. It's so cute to see him back up and get a running start! He's not much of a talker yet, but we hear the words dog, cat, duck, book, hot, ball, bubble, balloon, daddy (and sometimes even mommy!) lots of times during the day. Jackson is full of smiles for everyone we pass at the grocery store and is very curious about everything he sees. He loves music and stops to dance whenever he hears it!

Life with Jackson is, in a nutshell, FUN...and sometimes a little challenging! Thank you, Lord, for this amazing blessing!

Jackson Paul telling us how old he is (even though it looks like he's getting ready to pick his nose!)

Better Than I Deserve!

The caller asks, "How are you today, Dave?"
Dave replies, "Better than I deserve!"

You may be asking, "Who's Dave?" "And why is he better than he deserves?"

Dave is Dave Ramsey, radio and television talk show host, and creator of Financial Peace University which Nathan and I just graduated from. Hey - we had a graduation ceremony and everything! (Well, if by "ceremony", you mean Nathan walking around our discussion circle and passing out certificates to each couple.)

Financial Peace University (FPU) is a 13-week, life-changing program that empowers and teaches you how to make the right money decisions to achieve your financial goals and experience a total money makeover. Through the DVD lessons and the following discussion time with your group, it teaches you basic principles to become debt free and get on the right track with your finances.

As a result of going through the class, our family is now living on a real BUDGET. (Yes, the dreaded "B" word!) But, instead of feeling limiting and restricting, living on a budget feels extremely freeing for us. We know exactly how much money we have and how much we can spend each month. And there are few surprises because you've already thought about everything the month before when preparing your budget. We're working on baby step #1 which is having $1000 in an emergency fund. Once you have that in place, you can begin working on baby step #2 which is your "debt snowball" - paying off your smallest debt first, then working from there (no matter what the interest rates are). There are seven baby steps in all.

In a nutshell, it was FABULOUS! If you've never gone through FPU, talk to your church about offering it. Some businesses even offer it! You can look up Dave's website to find out all about him (he has quite a story) and all about the programs he offers at http://www.daveramsey.com/.

Oh yeah, why is Dave "better than he deserves?" Well, aren't we all? We deserve the wrath of God because of our sinfulness, but God does not treat us according to our sin. Jesus paid it all for us and Christ's atoning blood is sufficient for us all the time. He freely gives us His incredible love and mercy! His mercies are new every morning! Amen, and amen!

Through the Lord's mercies we are not consumed,

because His compassions fail not.

They are new every morning;

Great is Your faithfulness.

- Lamentations 3:22-23

Thanks for Visiting!

Thank you for coming to visit us from Houston last weekend, Aunt Joanie & Cousin Levi! I had a good time playing with you! Come back soon!

Hugs & kisses,
Jackson Paul

Jackson (17 months) & Levi (9) in the stagecoach at the Gaslight Theater

Where Did July Go?

Yet again, another month has passed by very quickly! Since I last posted, we celebrated Nathan's 39th birthday on July 1. We decided to top off the day by taking Jackson for his first ever hair cut! Nathan had been urging me to get Jackson's hair cut for several weeks, but I just wasn't ready. Cutting his hair would mean my baby boy was becoming a big boy, and I just didn't think I was ready to face that yet. Well, everything changed at lunch that day. As Jackson has been known to do (and I don't think he's the only one-year old with this "problem!") he sometimes throws his food. That day he seemed to get a little rambunctious with his throwing and when I realized what happened, the older lady at the table next to me exclaimed, "Your little girl just threw her french fry at me!" Hold the phone...did she just say little GIRL? Ok, his hair was a little on the long side, but Jackson is ALL BOY! As you can imagine, that was enough to push me over the edge. We promptly left the restaurant and headed for the nearest barber shop. Wait a minute...do you think Nathan paid that lady to call Jackson a girl??? Bottom line: Jackson has the cutest little boy hair cut ever! He did very well and didn't cry at all. Way to go, Jackson Paul!

The next day, July 2, Jackson and I flew to Houston to visit Gene, Joanie, and Levi for a little R & R. My oldest sister, Jane, and her son, Kevin, were also there visiting from Oklahoma. (Kevin's girlfriend from OU lives in the Houston area, and he wanted to celebrate his 21st birthday with her. Happy 21st Birthday, Kevin!)

We thoroughly enjoyed our time in Houston. It rained quite a bit, but being from the desert, I enjoy that kind of weather every so often! I think one of Jackson's favorite parts of the trip was climbing up and down the stairs at Aunt Joanie's house. He got pretty good at it and we only had a few tumbles! We also enjoyed spending time in their lovely swimming pool and making a couple of trips to Chuck E Cheese. We flew back to Arizona on July 11, and were welcomed home by Nathan. He missed us and we sure did miss him!

Jackson driving the "monster truck" at Chuck E Cheese

Jackson was ready to get home to Daddy! On our last day in Houston, we went to Costco so Levi could be fitted for new glasses. To pass the time, Jackson "modeled" frames for us. He grew weary of it very quickly, as you can see!

Now we're home and are enjoying a great week of Vacation Bible School at church - "Take the Plunge". The little kiddos are enjoying the lessons, crafts, music, snacks, and especially the outdoor recreation of this water-themed VBS! We've had as many as 31 children this week, and our prayer is that these little ones are being introduced to Jesus in a new and meaningful way.

May God bless you...

Until next time!

Happy 39th Birthday, Nathan!

Nathan at 4 months old

7-1-68
The sun shone a whole lot brighter
Than ever it had before, shining down on me
At 6:45 p.m. both hands of time stopped turning
And you came waltzing in to change my world for good

And I was only two years old, so really I don’t know
Exactly what was going on
But I, I bet I laughed and played
Harder on that day
Because my whole world was changing

7-1-68
You breathed your first breath
And suddenly living life meant so much more
On the day that you were born

And I, well I was only two, so I didn’t have a clue
Of all that was transpiring
But I, I bet the sky was blue
And all the world looked new
Cause everything was changing

7-1-68
You breathed your first breath
And suddenly living life meant so much more
On the day that you were born

I love you, sweetheart. Have a wonderful day!

Did You Know We Went On A Cruise?

We cruised out of Galveston, Texas on Sunday, May 27, and sailed the beautiful western Caribbean seas for seven days. It was glorious! We stopped in Jamaica (thumbs down), Cozumel (thumbs up), and Grand Cayman (thumbs way up!). We vacationed with Gene, Joanie, and Levi, and had so much fun. The ship, the Carnival Conquest, was H.U.G.E. and so beautiful (110,000 tons and the length of 3 1/2 football fields). On our honeymoon cruise four years ago on the Carnival Ecstasy, we had a balcony suite. We loved it. On this cruise we had an interior room. We LOVED it! Turn out the lights and it was pitch black. Great for sleeping!

In Jamaica we did the Dunn's River Falls shore excursion. Gene and Joan had been there before and loved it, and it was quite a sight to see, but it was raining that day and very crowded. There were four cruise ships in port that day and I'm pretty sure every person on all four ships thought Dunn's River Falls would be a good excursion. Wall to wall people climbing the falls! It was crazy, but I did it and I'm proud of myself!

In Grand Cayman we did the stingray/snorkel shore excursion. Oh.My.Goodness! We loved it! I had always wanted to see that beautiful, clear blue, warm Caribbean water, and Grand Cayman did not disappoint! The stingrays were amazing, and the snorkeling was so much fun. I felt like I was swimming in an aquarium! I was the first person off the boat to snorkel and the last person back on. I think I could live in Grand Cayman.

Our third stop was Cozumel. Once again we were in the land of beautiful water...like nothing I'd ever seen before! We decided to do our own thing that day. Gene rented a van and we drove a few miles to a beach club. There we enjoyed lunch and swimming. We drove all the way around the island and experienced the back side of Cozumel which isn't overrun by tourists. What a beautiful place!

Besides the three ports, we enjoyed three days at sea. On Carnival they are called "Fun Days at Sea" and that they are! The ship was beautiful, the shows were colorful, the service was impeccable, the food was magnificent, and the time together with family was priceless. We can't wait until our next cruise vacation!

Sedona

Sedona is b.e.a.u.t.i.f.u.l! If you've never been there, I highly recommend it. Jackson & I made a trip there last weekend to see my friend Laurie and her three boys. They don't live there, but were passing through on their way home from California to Georgia, and stopped for a few nights at one of their time shares. Laurie graciously invited us to join them and experience the beauty of that part of the state. It had been a whole year since we'd seen Laurie and the boys, so we jumped at the chance!

While we were there my friend Kari and her three kids drove up from Gilbert to spend a day with us. Laurie and Kari have three children each - exactly the same ages! Those two share many similarities, and it was such a delight for me to find a friend in Kari when I moved to Arizona and moved far away from Laurie. In fact, they each named their oldest sons (who were born exactly three months apart to the day) Braden/Brayden! Life is crazy sometimes! God is so good to fill our lives with wonderful and meaningful friendships.

Back row - Brayden, Braden, Laurie, Kari
Front row - Wil, Kale, Tyler Rae, Kegan

January 7-12, 2008

We're going on a family cruise to Cabo San Lucas next January to celebrate my dad's 80th birthday! Can't wait!

My Celebrity Look-alikes

I think the term "celebrity" is being loosely used. I've never even heard of some of these people! And seriously, do I really look like Mrs. Brady?

Jackson at 15 months

Jackson Paul is now 15 months old! (He'll actually be 16 months on June 20, but I haven't blogged for a while, and wanted to post his stats and a few recent photos.) At his 15-month check up, Jackson tipped the scales at 26 lbs, 13 oz (75th percentile)and was 33 3/4 inches tall (97th percentile). We have a TALL boy on our hands! He's outgrowing some of his one-piece outfits (size 24 months), and summer shoes he's only worn for three weeks are starting to get a little small! Daddy says it's time for Jackson's first haircut, but mommy can't bring herself to do that. Not.quite.yet!

Here are two recent photos taken on cousin TyAnne's graduation day. What a handsome and happy boy!

FREE!

Free tonight at Sonic - ROOTBEER FLOATS! Yum!

(By the way, HAPPY BIRTHDAY, Mom!)

MAY

It's hard to believe that it's already May 25. The month has literally flown by for me. Much has happened since my last post!

First, we had a wonderful weekend visit from my parents, Grandma & Grandpa E., the last weekend of April. Jackson loves spending time with his family!

The next Saturday, May 5, my good, good friend Carla from Indiana flew to Arizona for a visit (her very first trip to Arizona). She stayed with us for a whole week and we had such a wonderful time. We didn't want to see her leave! (Carla & I met in January of 1980. I had just turned 13 and we were in 7th grade. I had just moved to Enid, Oklahoma, and she was my first friend there. That was a long, long time ago!) While she was here we spent lots of time talking and playing with Jackson. I hadn't seen Carla in 12 years, so it was her first time to meet Nathan & Jackson! She also experienced In-N-Out Burger for the first time, and we enjoyed a trip to Tombstone. She flew into Tucson and out of Phoenix, so we spent her last day in Arizona with my parents.
We celebrated my second Mother's Day on May 13! Jackson & Nathan gave me the most precious cards and treated me to a wonderful dinner at Claim Jumper.
Last weekend we spent with Nathan's side of the family in Sierra Vista for niece TyAnne's high school graduation. Congratulations, TyAnne! Not only did TyAnne graduate from high school, but 10 days earlier she graduated with an associates degree in culinary arts from the local community college...and she's only 17! TyAnne & her mom, Sheli, each graduated with a degree in culinary arts. Those two are geniuses in the kitchen! Way to go, Sheli & TyAnne! The best part of the weekend was seeing TyAnne's face when she saw her graduation gift from her parents...a 2006 Ford Mustang Convertible!
Now we are home and catching our breath...and doing laundry because...we are going on a week-long cruise on Sunday! Pictures & stories to come...

April 26, 2003

On Saturday, April 26, 2003, I married my beloved, Nathan, after a whirlwind courtship. (If you don't know the story, ask me. I love to talk about it! We are an eHarmony success story!) We celebrated our 4th anniversary this past Thursday. Four whole years - wow! Nathan gave me the most beautiful red roses that day, and took me to a wonderful dinner at PF Chang's. A very special "thank you" to Brent & Jessica for babysitting Jackson for us that night so we could have a date!

As usual, the pictures don't really do them justice, but take a look at these beauties! I sure do love my husband!

One Hour & Two Minutes

Friday, April 27, 2007

Day four of In-N-Out being open in Tucson. We were tired of driving by, seeing the horrendously long lines, and going home to eat turkey sandwiches. It was NOW or NEVER!

11 a.m. - We pull into the drive-thru line, prepared for a wait.Unless you live in Tucson, you won't have any perspective on this picture, but for those of you aware of the surroundings, the line began west of Krispy Kreme (Rest in peace, Krispy Kreme). I'm bad at this, but I'm guessing there were somewhere in the vicinity of 60 cars in front of us when we first got in line. You probably think we are nuts, but If you've never had a world famous In-N-Out cheeseburger, you just wouldn't understand!As we inched our way forward and rounded the corner, we caught our first glimpse of the beautiful red & yellow In-N-Out sign! Can you see it? (Click on the picture to enlarge it.)Halfway through our adventure, our nephew Parker joined us. Jackson loves his cousin! He especially loves Parker's sunglasses!Here is our order taker! We're getting closer! Here's the girl who handed us our first taste of Tucson's In-N-Out. Nathan is so happy! (Ok, he doesn't really look all that happy in this picture, but trust me, he was one happy man!) 12:02 p.m. - Mission Accomplished!

We drove the 3.3 miles to our home and enjoyed a cheeseburger, fries, and a chocolate shake (that was for you, Donna R.!)

One of these days the lines will (hopefully) calm down enough that we'll actually be able to go inside, order, and eat there! On a side note, a second In-N-Out is opening in northwest Tucson sometime this summer. Hallelujah! (I think I should be an In-N-Out company spokesperson!)

ANTICIPATION

Today is the day the entire city has been waiting for.

We saw the concrete be poured.

We saw the framing go up.

We saw them stucco the outside.

We saw the beautiful landscaping.

Then, finally, we saw the lighted signs be put in place.

What have we waited anxiously for?

Today is the Grand Opening of...

Wait for it...

Wait for it...

Wait for it...


All of Tucson is rejoicing over the "birth" of our first In-N-Out Burger! We foolishly tried to go there for lunch today - at 11 a.m. - I might add. The hundreds of people already standing in line, and the line of at least 75 cars waiting in the drive through lane laughed in our faces. We had to settle for Rubio's today...but tomorrow...aaah tomorrow, a delicious cheeseburger, fries & Coke have my name written all over them!

1-800-D-R-L-A-U-R-A

I'm not ashamed to admit it. I love Dr. Laura! Her call-in talk show is aired on one of our local AM stations Monday-Friday from noon-3 p.m. I rarely get to listen all three hours (ok, I never get to listen all three hours), but I try to listen as often as I can. I love hearing her advice for people, and honestly, I agree with her 99.9% of the time. She can be a bit harsh, but sometimes that's what it takes for people to make changes in their lives and "go do the right thing" as Dr. Laura likes to say.

When I learned last month that Dr. Laura was coming to Tucson with her one-woman show on Friday, April 20, I jumped at the chance to get tickets. FRONT ROW! (I guess I'm getting old when I'd rather see Dr. Laura than the latest band that's touring the nation.) Trust me, Nathan wasn't as thrilled about going as I was, but he's a trooper and went along...and enjoyed it, I might add! It was a very entertaining evening. And guess what I found out? Dr. Laura & I share the same birthday - January 16 (although she's twenty years older!).

Now...Go Do The Right Thing!

14 Months Old!

Our sweet, baby son turned 14 months old yesterday. We celebrated the day by cleaning & organizing his room! Those of you who have been in our home know about "Jackson's Family Tree" in his bedroom. We love it, and love when family members come to visit and add "leaves" to the tree. So, if you are related to the three of us, consider this your personal invitation to make a trip to Tucson and put your handprint on our wall!


Jackson's Family Tree - It's getting full, but there's still room for more leaves!

A close up of the sign. We attempted to put Jackson's handprints there. Have you ever tried doing something like that with an active 14-month old boy? That's why it's smeared!

Jackson enjoys trying to feed himself. Sometimes more ends up on his face than in his tummy!

Aunt Joanie's Special Day!

Happy Birthday, Aunt Joanie! (As you can see, it's birthday month for Jackson's aunties!) We hope you have a beautiful time celebrating your very special day! Celebrate & enjoy! We love you!

Jackson & Aunt Joanie the day we brought him home from the hospital. Aunt Joanie stayed with us for three glorious weeks. What a big help she was! We didn't want to see her leave!

Auntie Jane's Special Day!

Happy Birthday, Auntie Jane! We hope you had a beautiful day! We love you & hope to see you again soon!

Here is a picture of Auntie Jane with Jackson in February 2006 when he was just a week old.