Erica's Ramblings

Birthing Class

2009-06-03T17:30:00.000-07:00

As many of you know, from Casey's Facebook page, we have been attending birthing class. Last night was the second of three classes. They are informative. I am not sure we will really use all the information, or that it is all that relevant to our situation, but it is worth knowing I guess. We signed up for these classes before we switched hospitals and the classes were non-refundable so we were stuck. My biggest complaint with the classes is that they go until 9:30 at night! What pregnant woman is out and about until 9:30 on a weeknight? : )

Okay, better run and get dinner started because I am hungry. I'll post more later. It is a new month so I'll ask C to take a new pic and I'll post it. Baby O will be here in 6 (or so) weeks. Eeek!

Happy May!

2009-05-02T22:28:00.000-07:00

May is here so I am posting a new belly pic! All is well here. Baby O is doing well and, according to http://www.thebump.com/, he is the size of a squash. Speaking of, I think he is starting to feel a bit squashed because I feel a lot more movement that I think is stretching.

We have selected a doula and we are meeting with a midwife on Wednesday. I am very excited to have found a midwife who works at a practice with three doctors on call and delivers at a hospital. Plus, the hospital has jacuzzi tubs for laboring! I feel very content because it seems that I have found what I have been looking for and think it will help with the labor and delivery process.

Casey and I start childbirth classes in a few weeks...I'll keep you posted!

Acrobat??

2009-04-27T18:51:00.000-07:00

Baby O is moving around more and more. I think he is going to be an acrobat or a swimmer. Today he jabbed my right side with (what I think) was an elbow, I poked at him and he elbowed me back! Already causing trouble and he isn't even born yet! : )

I'm getting bigger but feeling good. I went to the doctor and all is well. I have gained 17 lbs and the doctor is okay with that. Less than three months to go! Eek!

Casey went to Daddy Boot Camp on Thursday and learned lots of neat tidbits of information. I want to know why there isn't a Mommy Boot Camp??? Sounds a bit sexist to me!

Friends New and Old

2009-04-13T20:01:00.001-07:00

We had the pleasure of visiting with Kate and Dash yesterday. Not only is Dash absolutely adorable, he is sweet and wonderfully mellow. He and Casey enjoyed reading the Sunday Times.

New Month New Photo

2009-04-13T19:57:00.000-07:00

A few of you asked about the new photo so here it is. It was taken just over a week ago on April 5th. Our computer was getting repaired so I couldn't post it until now. My belly seems to be getting bigger every day and Casey continues to take pictures of my belly because it amazes him (or shocks him...or horrifies him...not quite sure...)! : ) Baby O continues to swim around quite a bit. He has been kicking more and is making his presence known quite often. Three months from this week he should make his appearance!

One Year Ago Today.

2009-04-05T08:10:00.000-07:00

It is difficult to believe that one year ago today Casey and I were married. Where has the time gone? It has been the most amazing year but I cannot believe how quickly it went by. I guess that saying, "Time flies when you are having fun" is true! Lately I keep thinking how lucky I am and what a wonderful life I have and when I think back to our wedding day I am reminded of what a magical day that was. It is very rare to be surrounded by almost every single person I love. It was a day that I will never forget and thank you for being a part of it. And Casey, thank you for marrying me; I am happier than I have ever been and a huge part of that is because of you. I love you!

A Twinkle in His Eye.

2009-03-22T09:05:00.000-07:00

Ever since I saw Baby O move earlier this week (see earlier post) I have really wanted Casey to see or feel him move because it is so amazing and I wanted him to share in the experience. I knew it would happen sooner or later but those of you who know me well know that I am impatient! After a couple days of Baby O moving here or there (and not on command!), Casey finally got to feel him move last night. We had just returned from a friend's beautiful garden wedding and were sitting on the couch. After about 10 minutes of sitting with his hand on my belly, he looked at me with this amazing twinkle in his eye and said, "I felt something!" It was so cool to be able to share that with him and to see the excitement on his face.

At the wedding last night our friends Rob and Heather brought their two week old daughter, Chloe. I didn't realize they had arrived, as I was talking to Casey's brother and sister-in-law, when I looked over the Casey was holding this teeny little baby. It was a beautiful site. She was so comfortable sleeping in his arms; like she had been doing it forever. Several people commented what I already know, Casey is going to be a wonderful dad!

Kicking up his heels.

2009-03-19T18:07:00.000-07:00

Today I was sitting in a workshop at work and felt Baby O start kicking. I looked down and saw this little ripple across my belly. It was the coolest thing! I watched and it happened 3 or 4 more times. I wish I could get him to do it on command so Casey could see it!

Other than that no much else going on; allergies are kicking my butt and I don't know what is up with that. I can't tell if it is a bad allergy season, due to pregnancy or a bit of both. All I know is it sucks! I hate feeling like crap! On that positive note... : )

As Casey would say, "just kickin' it"...

2009-03-15T09:42:00.000-07:00

That's me just kickin' it not Baby O. Well, I guess he is too. This weekend has been nice and relaxing. The weather is gorgeous so I spent a good chunk of the day hanging out and reading. I am cleaning out the back bedroom (soon to be Baby O's room) and getting rid of a lot of books and decided to re-read a few before giving them away. Yesterday I spent an hour to two lounging in the hammock and reading "Like Water for Chocolate"; what a wonderful way to spend an afternoon. This morning I lounged in bed and finished the book. I decided to take advantage of these relaxing mornings because the morning won't be quite as quiet or relaxing come July. Boy, I hope Baby O is a good sleeper! : )

Okay, off to be a bit productive...

Take Two.

2009-03-06T17:05:00.000-08:00

I don't like the last pictures so I am posting a newer, cuter one from today. I can be fickle; it's my blog.

I went to the doctor on Wednesday and Baby O is right on track. Wednesday was day 6 of week 20 and he was measuring right at 21 weeks. His heart sounded good and all is well. Today is week 21. Boy, where does the time?

New Month, New Belly Pics.

2009-03-02T18:59:00.000-08:00

Here they are...back by popular demand...new belly pics! The one where I am wearing the purple shirt is from just over a week ago (to quote C, "You look so cute I have to take your picture!). The others are from today after work. Not the best pics but, hey, they give you an idea of how big Baby O and I are getting ! See you again April 1st!

Another O'Neill Swimmer?

2009-02-28T17:29:00.000-08:00

Many of the O'Neill children swam competitively. Casey swam until high school and his brother, Pat, is the swim coach at Brophy. It just seems to run in the genes. I think we might have another swimmer on our hands. I am sitting here right now, listening to Van Morrison, and feeling Baby O swim laps or do somersaults or something. It is the coolest and most bizarre feeling! Maybe his name should be Michael a la Michael Phelps!

Off to meet cousins Hope and Bitsy for dinner.

March 1st is almost here...check back for an updated belly shot.

Kinda cool.

2009-02-20T16:21:00.000-08:00

I was driving home from work tonight when I looked down at my dash and saw that my odometer was showing 111111. Isn't that cool? It is a split second thing and I caught it. It brought a little smile to my face. Good ole reliable Hansel.

Baby O is...

2009-02-17T18:55:00.000-08:00

A BOY! Can you believe it??? I am one of three girls who, between them, have three girls. My mom has one sister who has one girl...my immediate Kern family has never done boys...this is amazing and wonderful. I am so excited; not so much that Baby O is a boy or girl but because it is finally becoming real. We tried and tried to post the video from the ultrasound but it is just too big so you'll just have to take our word that he is perfect and cute and wonderful!

The doctor checked and everything is right in place and just the way it is supposed to be. Phew!

I'll continue to keep you posted...

P.S.
Casey asked me if I would be agreeable to keeping the name discussions under wraps and I agreed. That way there will be at least one surprise come July!

Erica has a secret...

2009-02-16T17:12:00.001-08:00

Today we went for our 18-week ultrasound and Baby O is doing extremely well. Baby has everything that is needed and everything is right in place! And, we found out whether Baby O is a b0y or girl...you'll have to wait a bit...I'm having dinner with Mom and Dad tonight and want to share the news with them first. Check back soon...

Maternity Clothes

2009-02-14T17:13:00.000-08:00

I hate maternity clothes. Most of them are ugly and just don't fit my body quite right. Now, it might have something to do with this in-between thing I am going through but I am not quite sure. A woman I know raved about Old Navy so I checked it out today. I am not a medium nor am I a large; I am Goldilocks and living in "not quite right" land. It is very, very frustrating! Just wanted to let you know.

Happy Valentine's Day! C and I heading out for dinner and a movie. Enjoy your evening!

It's in the water!

2009-02-09T17:54:00.000-08:00

I am excited because I just learned that another friend is pregnant. That makes not one, not two, but three friends pregnant! Plus, in my work training class, one student and one trainer is pregnant and the wives of two male students are pregnant! Wow, is it in the water or am I just more aware??

Another new thing...

2009-02-03T20:32:00.000-08:00

The last day or two I've developed a linea nigra. According to Wikipedia it develops right around the second trimester so I guess I am lucky that I am right on schedule!??! Other strange tidbits as they develop...literally...

I've seen myself looking better...

2009-02-02T16:17:00.000-08:00

Hi friends and family. I promised to post a picture of myself and here it is. It is NOT a particularly flattering picture; I was wearing my spin clothes and had not showered but, hey, all of you love my, right? And, the point of the picture was so you could see my pooch (no, not Harley or Scooter!). I think I look quite plump but Casey disagrees (good husband!) and a co-worker said that it is all in my belly...I hope that I look pregnant and not like I'm getting fat! : ) Either way, thought you would like to see the pic. I'll post more soon.

It has only been 14 months...

2009-01-29T16:32:00.000-08:00

Yup, it has been 14 month since I last posted anything on the blog. So much has happened since them, specifically Casey and I got married last April. But that is nothing compared to the latest news (that all of you already know)...that I am pregnant and we are expecting a baby in July. The estimated due date is July 17th and I am really hoping for that day because it is the birthday of my dear, dear friend Carol. I lived in Carol's guest house for several years before Casey and I bought our house and Casey and I got married in Carol's backyard. Needless to say, July 17th would be quite special. But, I'm not holding my breath since first babies are notoriously late.

Several friends requesting I start posting baby updates so this is the first one. I will really try to be better about updates than I have been in the past about other less important stuff. Baby O (coined by Casey's bro and sister in law; what they called their babies in-utero) is 16 weeks old and the size of an avocado. O is just developing ears and can no supposedly hear my voice. How cool is that?! I don't feel any movement yet but that should happen in the next several weeks. On February 16th (Granny Bev O'Neill's birthday!) we are going for the next ultrasound. If O cooperates we could find out his/her sex but I think we are going to hold off for right now.

Mom update: I am feeling great and happy to report that the fatigue seems to be subsiding a bit. My regular pants are quite tight; even my big pre-pregnancy jeans have to be worn unbutton! Casey got my a Bella Band for Christmas so I can keep my pants unbutton without them falling down! : 0 Thankfully I am starting to look a bit pregnant and not just like I gained some weight. I'll post some pics soon but for right now I'll just post a pic of the little one. More soon...I promise...

Pooped!

2007-11-24T16:44:00.001-08:00

Our dear friends, Creed & Shaunna, closed on their house two weeks ago yesterday. This is very, very exciting because it is their first house and it is near our house! The weekend before last we helped with house stuff on Sunday, last weekend we prepped and painted Saturday and Sunday and today we actually moved them. We had two trucks, two trailers and a small hatchback so I thought, no problem, we'll make it in one trip (especially since they don't have a ton of stuff). Well, it took 1 1/2 trips (one trailer had to go back a 2nd time) and7 hours! But, it was sooo worth it. We got everything moved and got the entire kitchen set-up. Their living room and family rooms are pretty much set-up and about 1/2 the master bedroom is done. Their house is lovely and I am very, very excited for them. They are such dear friends and I am thrilled to have been part of the process.

But, with that said, I'm going to vege for a bit! : )

It's Official!

2007-11-16T15:24:00.000-08:00

Well, it is official...we are getting married. The reason it is official is because last night we hired our officiant. Her name is Irene and she officiated at my friend Craig's wedding. When we met last night we just hit it off and decided to go with her. She gave us a list of ceremonies she has used in the past and told us to feel free to use one of those, do our own thing or combine a bit of everything. She is easy going and laughs a lot, which I like. I think we've made a great choice.

It is interesting because it feels more real to me now. Last night I said to Casey, "We're getting married!" and he said, "Umm, yeah", as if to say, "Duh, we've been getting married since I asked you on August 1st!" I guess it already felt real to him! : )

After Thanksgiving I am going to meet with my friend Ann who has done event/wedding planning because I am feeling a bit overwhelmed. She'll help me get organized and break things down into manageable tasks.

More later...I've had a busy day of working out, cleaning and getting Harley and Scooter groomed (they look even more handsome now) and need to shower to meet my cousin, Hope, for dinner. Have a great night!

Yes, I'm Still Here and Livin' in AZ!

2007-11-12T17:04:00.000-08:00

Yes, I'm still here. I know, I know, I don't blog often enough. If you take a look at my previous posts you will see that this is a common theme. I go for months without blogging and, bam, decide to start up again. I have waited so long this time because I waited a bit and so much happened that it just seem overwhelming to write again. I thought it might just be easier to start a brand new blog! But, I'll try to fill you in (although the 3 people who read this blog already know all this information).

We have two not-so-new dogs named Harley and Scooter. See above photo of Scooter. I got tired of fussing with the picture which is why it is at the top of the post and not here (where it should be) and why it is horizontal when it should be vertical! They are wonderful dogs and a great addition to our household. No dog will ever be Oso but, as I tell Harley and Scooter all the time, they are 2 of the best 3 dogs ever!
We went to San Diego over the summer with Patrick (Casey's bro), Peggy (sister-in-law), Riley and Shea (nieces). It was a blast. I hope it will be an annual trip.
We also traveled to The Bay Area for Casey's niece Erin's graduation from Berkeley. It was a wonderful visit with family, as well as Ann & Curt. We got to do some fun tourist-y things we had never done before. I have pics but I bet they will post next to Scooter's photo, not here where they belong!
Oh yeah, Casey and I got engaged! Wedding plans are progressing...slowly. I always thought I was one of the bride-y girls and now I've realized that I'm not. I'm really excited to be marrying Casey but I don't really care about the wedding. Is it too late to elope?? I have a ring, which I love and a dress, which I love but I'm not feeling the rest of it. Well, except our engagement photos. I love those!! The photographer is very talented (http://www.jeffersontodd.com/). Case in point, I never like photos of myself and I actually like these! Visit http://www.jeffersontodd.com/slideshows/ericacaseyguestbook/ to see the guest book. He sent additional photos but the best ones are included in the guest book. My sister suggested I hire someone to assist with the planning. I love the idea of having someone say, "Here are two examples of table settings. Which do you want?" Planning everything from the beginning is sort of overwhelming. Oh, the other fun part was registering at Crate & Barrel! My mom and I spent over 2 hours picking out items. I still need to get flatware and dinnerware but I want Casey involved in that, even if he doesn't want to be involved! I think it is important for him to give his two cents since he will be using it every day. I plan to also register at Target and a honeymoon registry website. We really don't need anything but I guess this isn't about need. As I keep telling Casey, either we register for stuff we like or we are going to get three cut crystal nut bowls (right, Ann??).

That's all for now. I'll try to keep you updated on wedding plans and news in general. I better try to at least do the news in general part since I'm not feeling all the wedding details (color scheme, flowers, music, food...eek!).

Knitting Part III

2007-04-28T22:23:00.000-07:00

Katie told me that Mary Flo and her mom always make this particular face when having their pictures taken so double chins and the like are minimized so we tried to do our own version in honor of Mary Flo. Note cute Oliver trying to stay upright on Aunt Katie's lap!

Knitting Part II

2007-04-28T22:21:00.000-07:00

More instructions.

Knitting Circle.

2007-04-28T22:16:00.000-07:00

Katie and her daughter, Bird, were in town a few weeks ago and Leah insisted on teaching them to knit. My cousin, Michelle, was also visiting so she jumped in too. And then Tia stopped by and Leah roped her in too. Katie, being Katie, picked it up immediately. I imagine she had a completed scarf by the time her plane landed in Oakland!

Here I am showing Bird, Katie and Michelle how to cast on.

Status Report

2007-04-28T22:11:00.000-07:00

All is well here. I've had a fun-filled week, including a dinner party last night. Casey is out of town so I decided to host a girls only dinner party last night and it was so much fun. And, tonight Mom and Dad came over and we had pizza and just hung out. It was good, but strange, to have Mom and Dad come to my house. When did the roles reverse?

Casey went to a week long kayaking school in Northern CA and had a wonderful time. He called tonight and is heading back this way. They are making a few stops along the way (to kayak, of course) and should be back Monday night. I've missed him but have also enjoyed having some alone time. Although, I must admit, that being home alone isn't the same without my dear buddy Oso Bear.

Sad News

2007-04-16T21:30:00.000-07:00

I've also been avoiding this post because there is just too much information to share and, well, it is just too sad. Last Monday, April 9th, our sweet pooch Oso died. He appeared to be fine on Sunday but wasn't on Monday. We took him to the emergency vet, where he had his surgery performed 1 1/2 years ago, and they found he had a 12 cm tumor on his liver and it was bleeding. Before we could even decide the next step, he died. I guess that if I had to pick how he would pass, this was the best way...it was quick, presumably pain-free and we were right by his side. I am so thankful that I was right there with him and was able to try to comfort him during his last moments.

We brought him home and buried him in a shady spot underneath an orange tree in our backyard. It was terribly sad and things are still pretty somber around here. The house is much too quiet without him. And, I miss him being underfoot and trying to snatch a bit of my dinner. Our lives will never be the same.

New Blogger??

2007-04-16T21:28:00.000-07:00

For the last few months I've avoided updating my Blogger account because I'm lazy and didn't want to bother figuring out how to sign in to the new account but I couldn't put it off any longer. Today Blogger wouldn't even let me sign in unless I updated my account. Oh well, it only took 3 tries. Hopefully I'll remember my new sign in name and password!?!

Four months later...

2007-03-31T23:57:00.000-07:00

Hi all. I've been terrrible about blogging. Well, to tell you the truth, I've been pretty terrible about returning emails too. Things have been busy. The quick version:

1. New job. Started the beginning of February. Like it. Love my co-workers. Don't love the 8 - 5 hours but the commute to 16th Street and Colter makes up for it.

2. Not much running these days. I started physical therapy for my injured knee. It seems like I have something rubbing in my knee, and my IT band is tight, but hopefully with 3 more weeks of PT I'll be up and running. I miss it terribly.

3. Boy, that is all I can think of. That is sad, especially since it has been so long. Part of the reason I haven't blogged is because 4+ months of information seemed so overwhelming and now I can't remember anything! Oh well...more later...

Now that Justin and Ryan are available...

2007-01-14T20:41:00.000-08:00

Jen posted her celebrity look-alikes on her blog and I thought it was so neat-o and goofy I just had to do it myself. Unfortunately, I could not get the link to load so I just copied and pasted the picture. In case it isn't clear, I look like Cameron Diaz, Reese Witherspoon and Eva Longoria! He He.

Mexico Pic #3

2007-01-01T19:49:00.000-08:00

Santana's Coffee, Puerto Penasco's version of Starbucks! Isn't this the funniest thing? We loved the sign and had to take a photo. Unfortunately, the coffee shop was closed, because it was New Year's Day, so we couldn't check it out.

Mexico Pic #2

2007-01-01T19:48:00.000-08:00

I wish I knew how to add pictures in order!?! See post about weekend trip below...

Mexico

2007-01-01T19:44:00.000-08:00

Casey and I went to Rocky Point over New Year's weekend and had a great time. We met up with his brother, sister-in-law and two nieces, as well as one of their friends and her son. It was a fun, relaxing weekend full of lots of food, talk and sand. Here are a few pics. Enjoy!

Happy 2007!

Knitting Animals???

2006-12-23T21:46:00.000-08:00

Check out these cute knitting kangaroos! I think they are adorable. I needed to do a "Google" search and was distracted by these cute kangaroos and wanted to share with you!

Oh, by the way, Merry Christmas!

And from his point-of-view.

2006-12-15T15:20:00.000-08:00

Crazy Casey

2006-12-15T15:18:00.000-08:00

This is crazy Casey going down the falls at Fossil Creek! I don't get what he likes about this.

Isn't he cute?

2006-12-15T15:17:00.000-08:00

Casey is outfitting his new playboat. I love this picture ... he looks so happy... like a kid on Christmas morning.

Bag, err purse.

2006-12-15T15:13:00.000-08:00

And here is the bag I made for Claudine for her birthday. It was supposed to be the size of a canvas Trader Joe's shopping bag so that she could take it to the store, take her lunch to work, etc. However, I had never used this yarn before and it shrank more than expected so now it is a purse!

Purse #2

2006-12-15T15:11:00.000-08:00

And here is purse #2. The color is also off on this one. I use this bag for miscellaneous items in my purse - cosmetics, pencil, tissues, gum, etc. I love it!

Purse #1

2006-12-15T15:09:00.000-08:00

Here is a pic of the first bag I felted. The color is off a smidge but it gives you a sense of the style of the bag. I still need to inset a zipper. I'm thinking if will be a good clutch. More to follow...

Happy (Belated) Halloween!

2006-11-03T08:50:00.000-08:00

My friend Shaunna came over on Halloween to help me pass out candy. We were sitting and chatting and Casey snapped our picture, ears and all!

Aren't we cute?

Running Update

2006-10-24T09:37:00.000-07:00

Sunday was 5K #2..."Raising the Bar for Education" at the zoo. I didn't raise the bar, or raise any money, (I did raise my legs while running!!) but it was great nonetheless! The run was the same distance as the one two weeks ago but the zoo is hilly so I was apprehensive. Twice last week I went to the Y and ran on the treadmill using the hill option so I thought I might be okay. Plus, one of those hilly days I ran 4 miles so I was trying to be optimistic.

Sunday was a gorgeous day. The race (yes, it was timed!) started at 7:30 and it was chilly but absolutely beautiful at the zoo. The hills were manageable and I finished at 36.20, 2.20 less then last time. I was pretty excited. And it was really exciting to hear the announced say, "And here is Erica Kern finishing at 36.20." 36.20 and hills! I was jazzed!

Next is a 4 mile run in December and then a (eek!) 10K in January.

I'll keep you posted.

Scarf-a-rama.

2006-10-11T17:26:00.000-07:00

Here is Leah looking model-esque wearing the scarf I made for my sister Kim for her birthday. You would never know that it was over 100 degrees outside...Leah looks so cool and uncaring...in a model-y sort of way.

Anyhoo, my sis loved the scarf and now I'm on to other presents for some people who shall remain nameless!

Breakfast with my Dear Friend Janet N.

2006-10-09T18:38:00.000-07:00

Yesterday was the Phoenix Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure. It was an amazing event. I was a bit apprehensive because it has been hot outside and I wasn't sure how I was going to do but I'm thrilled to report the run was wonderful. We started at 8:20 so it was still fairly cool outside and we were fortunate enough to have a bit of breeze. I ran with two friends, Robin and Shaunna, and having their company made it even better. I finished my 3.1 miles in just over 38 minutes and felt amazing (and after only 6 hours sleep!). Here is a photo of us just after we crossed the finish line.

Tomorrow Shaunna and I are going to begin training for our next event, a 10K in the spring!

And, now to explain the subject line...a friend of mine works for Governor Napolitano and organized "Team Governor" for the run. After the run I called to see if she wanted to join us for breakfast and she said that she would and asked if I could hold on for a second. After a moment or two she got back on the phone and said, "Meet me at The Good Egg at Park Central. And, the Governor will be joining us." Yes, you heard me right; we ate eggs with Governor Napolitano! It was totally cool. She is very down to earth and quite funny. There were just nine of us so it was quite intimate. It was a wonderful way to end an amazing morning.

Some Things to Think About.

2006-09-28T15:00:00.000-07:00

My friend Shaunna loaned me this wonderful book called Traveling Mercies by Anne Lamott. A few anecdotes I would like to share with you:

1. " 'Traveling Mercies', the old people at our church said to the preacher when she went on vacation. This is what they always say when one of us goes off for a while. Traveling mercies: love the journey, God is with you, come home safe and sound."

2. "Besides the big brokennesses, I've noticed all sort of really dumb things breaking lately, too. I've had a dozen calls from friends reporting broken cars, water heaters, a window, even a finger so I've been on the lookout for something wonderful to happen, because of this story I heard recently: Carolyn Myss, the medical intuitive who writes and lectures about why people don't heal, flew to Russia a few years ago to give some lectures. Everything that could go wrong did - flights were canceled or overbooked, connections were missed, her reserved room at the hotel given to someone else. She kept trying to be a good sport, but finally, two mornings later, on the train to her conference on healing, she began to whine at the man sitting beside her about how infuriating her journey had been thus far

It turned out that this man worked for the Dalai Lama. And he said - gently - that they believe when a lot of things start going wrong all at once, it is to protect something big and lovely that is trying to get itself born - and that this something needs for you to be distracted so that it can be born as perfectly as possible."

3. Anne's friend Rick Fields is the editor in chief of Yoga Journal and also has stage-four metastatic lung cancer. His answering machine message says, "The road to enlightenment is long and difficult, and you should try not to forget snacks and magazines."

"In an interview in a Buddhist magazine, he'd said, 'I'm going to live until I die. And the doctor is going to live until he dies. He thinks he knows when I'm going to die, but he doesn't even know when he's going to die'."

Yes, I am still here!

2006-09-26T11:58:00.000-07:00

So I was meaning to write after we returned from Nashville (late August) and didn't and then another week passed and then another and another and it, well, seemed like too much time had passed and it wasn't worth writing. I've decided to just skip all the late Aug/Sept stuff and start fresh today! So, here I am...

All is well here. My knitting is progressing. I made a scarf for my sister for her b-day and she loved it so much that she put it on with her pajamas right after she opened it. I took a picture of it and will post as soon as I figure out why our computer is not recognizing the camera. I'm hoping I can just reload the software and voila! the computer will recognize it. I'm slowly, very slowly, plodding away on the blanket. It will get done...sometime...maybe 2007...

The Susan G. Komen run is in 1 1/2 weeks and I'm really looking forward to it. It will be my first 5K so I'm excited and nervous. I started running outside again and the transition from inside at the Y to outside has been extremely difficult. The trainer at the Y said a lot of it could be that it is still 80+ degrees out when I run in the morning. I got up at 7:20 yesterday and it was still really hot out. I'm praying for a cold streak come October 8th!

Okay, that is enough for now. More later...

And, I'll really try to write odds and ends more often.

Hope all is well. : )

Happy Birthday to Casey!

2006-08-14T21:47:00.000-07:00

Today is Casey's 36th birthday. Saturday night we had his friends Paul and Michelle (left) and Creed and Shaunna (right) over for dinner to celebrate. Unfortunately Tim and Rachel couldn't find a babysitter so they couldn't make it. Please note: Yes, Casey is wearing a headlamp. Don't ask my why.

He worked today and tonight we had dinner with his mom. Thursday we leave for a long weekend in Nashville, visiting my sister and her family, and that is sort of a birthday trip too. I'll post more on that when we get back.

I haven't sung happy birthday yet. I'll have to do that tonight...with some leftover homemade banana cream pie from Saturday night.

Girly Girl.

2006-08-11T15:32:00.000-07:00

So that last two days I have been a total girly girl. We are going to Nashville, to visit my sister and her family, on Thursday and I decided to get all kinds of primping done in celebration of our last summer vacation. Yesterday I got my haircut. I don't know why I don't do it more often (yes, I do. It is a pain to drive to the salon and it costs $50) because it always looks so much better after I get it cut. I always let it grow too long and shaggy and am always amazed at how much better groomed I look after a trim!

Today I went for a manicure and pedicure with a friend. I have been opposed to manis and pedis for a couple of years, after reading several articles about gross fungal infections, but she and I went last month (after she got a coupon in the mail) and we loved it. So, since I'm going away and my toes weren't in tip-top shape, we decided to go again. My purple toes, with white flowers and a blue crystals, look super-duper. And, the manicurist gives a really good manicure.

Then, after getting my fingers and toes done, I went to the aesthetician for my monthly (or so) grooming. I've gotten hooked on getting my eyebrows and bikini line waxed and now I hate when they are unruly. If I had unlimited funds I would do this all the time. In reality, I go every 6-8 weeks, depending on how I'm feeling and whether or not I'm up to spending money on something as silly as a bikini wax! I must admit though, I really love it. I haven't worked up to anything more than a basic wax but who knows I might be a convert and go to Brazil one of these days! And, today, for the first time I had my upper lip waxed. This is kind of personal but since only Kate, Jen and Ann read my blog I can write about it! I was a bit concerned because many months ago I asked the aesthetician about doing it and she said that many people get very, very red on their upper lip and that I shouldn't do it before going anywhere (to run errands, out that evening, etc). It was definitely very red when she did it. I was embarrassed when I paid and walked to the car but now, 1 1/2 hours later it looks perfectly fine...and smooth as a baby's butt! Boy, if I had unlimited funds I would be pampered from head to toe all the time. But for now, until I win the lottery, I'll have to settle for every couple of months.

Here's to feelin' glam!

Happy Friday!

Remember Me?

2006-08-04T09:28:00.000-07:00

It is has been so long since my last post that I don't even know where to begin. It isn't that I don't like posting, or keeping you guys up to date, but I just don't think to do it too often. And, that makes no sense because I read your blogs every day or two! As Kate would say, anyhoo:

Casey and I went to San Diego two weekends ago. It was spur of the moment trip and we had a great time. Well, we had a great time after we found a hotel. He called hotels for two days and couldn't find anything under $200 because a) it is summer in Arizona and everyone runs to San Diego at the site of 100 degrees and b) the weekend we chose to go to San Diego was also the weekend of some huge comic book convention. Casey being Casey refused to give up and finally found a hotel some 30-odd miles outside San Diego. We weren't thrilled with the location but, hey, at least we would be in CA and not AZ! However, the day after making the reservation, I came home from work to find that Casey had cancelled that reservation and made one at a Sheraton right downtown. He told me that it was going to be a surprise (and wouldn't tell me what he agreed to pay!) but that he decided to fill me in and I was so pleased. It made the weekend much more enjoyable. We were able to spend the day at the beach, go back to the hotel for a shower, and then head out for dinner.

Speaking of the beach, that is pretty much all we saw. We decided that this was going to be a relaxing weekend so we did pretty much nothing. Friday afternoon, after getting in, we put on our bathing suits (in the car!) and hit the beach right away. It was so nice and relaxing, even though there were gazillions of people around. The next day we went to the dog beach! If you've never been, I highly recommend it. There were tons of dogs (big, little, ones who liked water, ones who didn't) running and playing and kicking sand all over me. For a split second we thought, "oh, wouldn't it be nice if Oso were here" and then we both looked at each other and said, "he would hate this. Too much commotion, too many other dogs, too much sand." He was probably much happier spending the weekend at Grandma's house.

The other new and exciting thing is that Leah is teaching me how to knit. Leah taught herself to knit about a year ago and when I saw her a month or two ago she had to go to the yarn store so I tagged along. I was taken by all the cool yarns and agreed to have Leah teach me how to knit. I've only learned the (basic) knit stitch but I've started my first project. The woman at the yarn store told me that most beginners start with a scarf but, no, I had to start with a throw for the couch! It is going to be like a patchwork quilt with many different (complementary) colors (aubergine chenille, chocolate brown wool, etc). I started making 6 x 6" squares and was feeling really good, like I was making good progress. That is until I put them out on the bed and realized that I had completed 15 squares and I needed 99 (!!!) to complete the throw! I felt overwhelmed so Casey suggested I just use the 6 x 6" squares as a border and then make 12 x 12" squares for the interior. It is just as much work but won't look as busy. I've started the first 12 x 12 square and it looks good but the larger square is taking me much longer and I don't have that same sense of accomplishment. I worked for about 3 hours and only have 1/4 of one square completed! Previously I was working on the throw every day and I haven't worked on it for 2 days because I'm feeling a bit frustrated and don't want to get burnt out. Maybe I'll get back to it today. Ann, send good crafty thoughts my way!

I'm still hitting the gym regularly and feeling pretty good because I'm up to running for 35 minutes. I've been using the elliptical for 15 minutes (to warm up my legs), run for 35 and walk for 5. A few weeks ago I started adding weights to my routine and now I am spending much too much time at the gym! I'll keep running for 35 minutes (at 4.5 on the treadmill) and then slowly increase the speed so I'm getting a better workout but won't have to run for as long. I am only seeing minor physical changes to my body but, as Casey kindly reminded me, apparently there are changes going on because when I started I could only run a couple of minutes (we're talking 2 ) and now I'm up to 35! I'm really pleased and that is what is keeping me going on the days I really don't want to go. I did a bunch of serious leg weights on Tuesday and my legs were pretty sore so yesterday I focused more on arms. However, I was foolish and did a few legs yesterday and my knees were really sore so I had to take 2 Aleve before going to bed. I feel great today but will need to remind myself not to push it when I go again tomorrow.

Okay, this has turned into a novel. I'll really try to write more and write more often.

Have a great weekend!

So much news...

2006-06-19T17:20:00.000-07:00

A bunch of little stuff to report...

I had a fun weekend with friends and good food. Saturday I met my friend, Michele, for a belated birthday celebration (very belated...her b-day was in February). We had a wonderful lunch at some new pub at Chandler Fashion Mall (yummy salad with mandarin oranges, strawberries, sliced chicken and candied nuts) and then we went to see "Over the Hedge." I would highly recommend you see this movie. It was so funny. Two thumbs up.

Saturday night Casey and I had dinner with Hope and Bitsy. We went to our favorite Thai restaurant, Swadee Thai (Hi Jen!) and had two wonderful appetizers and four excellent dishes. Then, because we weren't full enough, we hit Cold Stone Creamery. Yum!

Sunday we repented for our sins and worked out at the Y. I'm planning to join for the long, hot summer and the Y was offering a weeklong free membership so I've been trying it out and loving it. Yesterday was my best run yet. Almost 2.5 miles (mostly running with a bit of walking thrown in here and there). I started at 3.5 miles per hour and pushed myself to 6. I was really pushing it and feeling so good. Believe it or not, Ms. "I hate exercise" enjoys running and is looking forward to tomorrow's run. Can you believe that?!?

Sunday night consisted or more eating...Father's Day dinner with dad. We went to an Italian restaurant. My entree was disappointing but my pasta fagiola soup was to die for! (did I spell that correctly?)

And on to non-food news...

The other day a client said that he was trying to find the gallery and Googled me (wouldn't it have been easier to Google the gallery?). Anyhoo, he told me that I should Google myself because I'm listed as some artist somewhere or other. Well, I didn't find that, but I did find an Ericca Kern who is a body builder and an Erica Kern who is a model. But the stranger thing is that one entry was one of my posts from Ann's blog! It was so strange to see Ann's Blogger entry as a listing. If you haven't already done it lately, Google yourself...it is kind of cool.

A friend of a friend recommended this skin care line called Arbonne. She told me about it because I have this discoloration on my face (called Melasma aka mask of pregnancy...no, the next entry is NOT going to be that I am pregnant. It is just a hormonal thing) and her friend also has it and found that these products really help. Well, it turns out that this friend (Kari) sells these products a la Avon. I wasn't expecting the sales pitch and the push to try to get me to agree to start selling the products, but the woman is really nice so it was still pleasant to hang out with her for 40 minutes. And, she gave me a cosmetic case with samples (full-size bottles) of the whole skin care line (one of three lines) to try for 7 days. There are 7 (yes, 7!) products to use 2x per day, including a cleanser, toner, serum, eye cream, night face cream and two others I can't remember. It is quite a production...it is a good thing I'm not working full-time...I would never get to my job in time! But, my face feels much smoother and softer and better hydrated. I don't know if it looks any better but I'm toying with the idea of buying a few of the products. I won't buy all of them, and have no plans to become a rep (even if the top selling reps do get a white Mercedes of their choice!) but they seem to be pretty good products. Have any of you heard of them and have any feedback? I tried to find some info online but didn't have much luck.

I think that is all for now...

Namaste.

2006-06-05T20:33:00.000-07:00

Kate asked me to write an update on partner yoga so here it goes...

It was great fun! The class was pretty much the same (1/2 yoga, 1 hr Thai massage and 1/2 hr facial/cranial massage) but the instructors added a few new postures for us regulars. For some reason it felt more strenous (in a good way) this time. Our friends Creed and Shaunna joined us and when we left we all commented on how much we felt it. After the class we went next door to an Italian restaurant and gorged on salad and pasta.

One of the things I really like about the yoga class is how good I feel the following days. Saturday morning (the morning after the class) I got up at 6:45 and went running. Normally this is an ungodly hour for me but now that it is 112 degrees during the day I have to get up this early just to survive the run. Ideally I should get up around 5 or 5: 30 but I would have to go to bed a 9 o'clock the night before to get a decent night’s sleep and I'm just not prepared to make that sort of commitment.

Anyhoo, back to my point...my Saturday morning run was so wonderful because I was so loose from yoga. I ran my longest distance yet (almost 2 miles) and my legs didn't hurt. They were tired but they didn't hurt the way they often do. I felt so great and empowered when I finished. I hope to run again tomorrow...if I can drag my lazy bones out of bed. I had hoped to go this morning but I was tired and still slightly sore from Saturday (it is amazing how out of shape my poor legs are!). If my legs could carry me I would run every day because I feel so great when I get home. I can't wait until they are strong enough so I can easily run more than 3x per week. Right now 3 is my max and as I increase my mileage it is getting more difficult to run 3x because my legs really need to rest. Right now I'm definitely doing 2x per week and do 3x on occasion. My sister (the 1/2 marathon runner) suggested I also do strength trainer (weights) but I think that will just tire my poor legs even more.

Hmmm…what else? We went to see Down in the Valley with Edward Norton. It was playing at Camelview and I always like the movies that play there, and Edward Norton is usually great, so we thought we would give it a try. My two cents – don’t bother paying the $7 (or more) to see it. My friend Janet came with us and she left about 20 minutes in, as soon as she finished her popcorn. To quote her, “I don’t really care how it ends. I don’t care what happens to these people.” I think that says everything. Casey and I stayed until the end but neither of us were wowed. Plus, the popcorn was mediocre at best and Camelview usually has the best popcorn. Popcorn can make or break a movie for me.

I better run. I’m roasting garlic red and yellow potatoes on the grill and I need to check on them. We’re having potatoes, pork chops and salad for dinner. Yum! Casey is busy assembling mailboxes (his business is going crazy. He is so busy he no longer works for the development company and just does his mailbox work!) but should be done shortly.

Have a good night.

More later…

A Long Overdue Post

2006-06-01T17:10:00.000-07:00

Hi all. Nothing too exciting has been going on...hence the lack of posts...

I went to FL two weeks ago to see Claudine, who was visiting her parents. We had a great time lounging by the beach, watching movies and just visiting. I haven't seen her in over a year so it was so nice to have some quality time together. Her parent's condo is right on the beach so we just walked out the door and, bam, there's the beach! It was really nice. We took some photos with Claudine's camera and once I get them I'll post them.

Tomorrow night is installment #2 of partner yoga and I'm really looking forward to it. Casey is even giving up poker night with the guys to attend! I could use the stretching; I'm feeling a bit tight these days.

I'm continuing to run but it is getting much too hot in AZ! Monday I went to my parent's club and ran on the treadmill. I'm toying with the idea of getting a month-to-month membership somewhere (for the summer) so I can still run without getting up at 5 am!

Hey, did any of you catch the season premier of Rescue Me? I love that show! Dennis Leary's character Tommy Gavin is such a great character. The end was so powerful, as it always is (I won't give details in case you tivo'd it and haven't watched it yet).

That's all for now.

Wonderful Weekend!

2006-05-08T10:41:00.000-07:00

I had a wonderful weekend and thought I would share with all of you. Well, all four of you!

Friday night Casey and I took an amazing partner yoga class at At One Yoga. It was a two hour class. We spent the first 30 minutes doing individual and partner yoga postures. The next hour was spent learning Thai massage - I worked on Casey for 3o minutes and he then worked on me for 30 minutes. It was so relaxing. We spent the next 30 minutes learning facial and cranial massage (15 minues per person) and the last 5 minutes were spent meditating and relaxing. I felt like a big rubberband when I left the studio! Plus, it was a wonderful bonding experience becuase we were encouraged to make loving comments, tell our partner what we were thankful for (in our relationship) and to make lots of eye contact. It might sound a bit touchy-feely but it was really fabulous. I was pleasantly surprised when Casey agreed to go but I was even more surprised, and thankful, when he happily agreed to attend another class next month.

On Saturday morning I was still feeling the wonderful effects of the yoga class. When I ran my legs were extremely loose and didn't hurt the way the usually do. Because I felt so great I was able to run 12 minutes non-stop (minus waiting for the light to change at Central and Glendale), which is a really big deal for me because when I started running I could only run 1.5 minutes at a time. By the time I got home I felt so powerful and healthy! My legs were a bit sore later that day and yesterday but nothing too major.

Saturday night we went out for Chinese food at P.F. Chang's. It is really fun to sit at the bar and watch the scene. We ate quickly because we wanted to make the 7:50 United 93. Now, I must tell you that I didn't want to see this movie. I was horrified when I saw the previews and thought it was going to be sensational and exploit the victims. However, Casey told me that he read a review in the Wall Street Journal, and heard a segment on NPR, and it was supposed to be the complete opposite. And he was right. Many of the "characters" played themselves and no celebrities were cast. It was honest and powerful and, well, painful. I cried during certain parts and cannot imagine the horror of losing a family member on September 11th (or ever). The movie painted a very clear picture of what happened that day and, according to Casey, the storyline was extremely accurate - based on conversations with control tower employees, military people and family members of those on flight 93. I would highly recommend this movie to everyone. To quote Casey, "Every American should be required to see United 93."

Well, that's enough for now. I hope you all had a good weekend!

Talking Craziness!

2006-05-01T21:58:00.000-07:00

I know it sounds crazy but I actually bought two, count 'em two, bathing suits today. I haven't bought a bathing suit in years and I seriously cannot remember the last time I bought one I liked (maybe never).

However, I just booked a ticket to FL to visit Claudine, who is visited her parents for the month of May, and I can't really go to FL, and lounge on the beach, without a bathing suit so I pulled myself together and went to Target. I LOVE Target. That is all I have to say (although that is an unnecessary point to make because everyone who reads this blog also loves Target). I had to try on about 20 or 30 bathing suit separates but by the end of my hour I found 2 bathing suits that I could live with. Or, more to the point, live in. I felt a little self conscious and lumpy but I just did a fashion show for Casey and he approved so I feel a bit less self conscious.

For those of you who need a cute, inexpensive suit definitely try Target. Although, if you already know your size and don't need to try anything on, I would highly recommend the website. I just looked at it and they have oodles and oodles of adorable suits. Unfortunately, I'm not comfortable buying a suit without trying it on first since I never know if I am a medium or large or if the seat is going to ride up or how my boobs are going to look. You know, the usual problems!

Oh, and here they are:

Suit #1 has really cute ruffles across the top and one ruffle running across the waistband on the bottom.

Suit #2 has flowers embroidered on the top and bottom. The bottom sits low on the hip and has pink ties on the hips. Oh, and the very best part...I decided to buy it and then realized it was on the clearance rack and each piece was only $3.50! Where, except Target, could I find an adorable, flattering bathing suit for $7?

Aww, aren't we cute?

2006-04-30T22:19:00.000-07:00

Here we are at Casey's mom's 70th birthday party. Everyone was asked to wear green and white for the family photos. Casey even wore green Mardi Gras beads!

Ahhh, ain't culture grand?

2006-04-30T22:11:00.000-07:00

I just returned from a wonderful performance of Eve Ensler's "The Good Body." I wanted to see this play but didn't bother to get tickets. Today was the last day and Mary Jo, Casey's sister, called to find out if I wanted to see it. I was so jazzed! I was especially jazzed when Eve herself walked out onto the stage. I thought it would just be her play not Eve herself! It was wonderful. Oh, and as a bonus, we had 4th row seats!

Last night we had a small, informal pizza party at our house. It was byot (bring your own topping). We supplied the dough, cheese, sauce and our favorite toppings and our guests brought their favorite toppings. We cooked the pizzas on the grill and it was a wonderful hit. A special thanks to Robert who very kindly grilled for us.

Summer is almost here. It is going to be 100 degrees tomorrow. I guess summer is, well, here. We started using our swamp cooler and our house is nice and cool so we (hopefully) won't have to worry about a/c bills for a few months. Plus, 1 1/2 years ago Casey planed an ash tree in our front yard and it is slowly getting big enough to block the sun from hitting our front bedroom window. It is still a baby tree and making a big difference. I can't wait until it is a grown up tree.

More later...

New Stuff...

2006-04-14T11:43:00.000-07:00

Dog Bite Update: Oso bit the mailman on a Wednesday and we got mail the next day but the following two days we didn't so we figured something was up. Casey called the post office and was told that once a dog bites a postal carrier all mail delivery services are suspended. Well, it would have been nice if we had been notified!

The following Monday Casey went down to the post office, wearing his U.S. Postal Service Contractor badge, and talked to the manager. Usually all mail services would be discontinued but the manager very kindly agreed to allow us to get mail if we put in a mailbox at the end of the driveway. Casey agreed and proceeded to order the mailbox. When he got home he saw the mailman and the mailman was extremely nice considering he had three punctures and a huge bruise on his calf! Casey said that the mailman said that he is happy to continue to deliver our mail to the porch but it us Postal policy and he can't. He said that the driveway mailbox will actually make more work for him since he'll have to walk additional steps to get to that mailbox.

All I know is that I am really happy that we'll have mail deliveryagain sometime soon. It is an inconvenience to go to the post office and pick up the mail. Fortunately, my hours are such that I can. Someone with a M-F 9-5 job would be able to pick up his/her mail just once a week.

What else is new?

Casey is away this weekend. He and some friends went whitewater kayaking in Kernville, CA. They left Wed and will be back Sun. I hope he is careful. I couldn't help overhear his friend Creed ask if Casey had elbow pads becuase he might need them at such and such creek. Eek! I hope he doesn't come home with any broken bones...just a few scratches and bruises and memories of lots of fun!

As I write this a delicious smelling banana cake is baking in our oven. Yum! I'm getting together with some friends tonight and I thought it would be nice to bring a cake. It is extremely easy (almost cheating!); all I had to do was mash bananas, add yellow cake mix, banana pudding, 4 eggs, oil and water. Bake and voila, a delicious cake! This cake smells almost as good as it tastes. I'm not sure I'll be able to wait until this evening to have a bit!

I better run. I hope everyone has a great weekend.

What's New Pussycat?

2006-04-06T20:03:00.000-07:00

New stuff...

Oso bit the mailman yesterday. The screen door wasn't closed completely and Oso slipped out the door before we could realize it. I was out back watering our plants and Casey ran out front as soon as he heard the door slam but it was too late. Casey said the bite wasn't too bad but the mailman said he had to report it to the post office. Right now we are waiting for the Maricopa County Animal Control guy to show up. Oso's shots and registration are up to date so hopefully he will just be quarantined in our house for 10 days. Casey said that by the time he got outside, Oso had already nipped the mailman and was casually sniffing the grass. Sometimes I wonder what is going on in his head..."Gotta get the mailman, gotta get the mailman, got the mail man now gotta sniff the grass..."

I just made a really yummy dinner. Earlier today I marinated pork tenderloins (2 in a pack from Costco) in Lowry's terriyaki marinade and tonight I threw them on the grill. I grilled some sliced zucchini, seasoned with olive oil and salt and pepper. And, the highlight of the meal, oven-roasted potatoes. I bought a small bag of red potatoes and a small bag of yellow potatoes (from Trader Joe's) and roasted them in the oven (after cutting each potato in half) with 6 cloves of garlic, 1/4 cup olive oil, salt and pepper. After roasting for about 1 1/2 hours I tossed with fresh (chopped) parsley. The recipe is from my Barfoot Contessa cookbook and absolutely amazing. It is a really easy recipe and tastes amazing. I can't wait to eat leftovers...maybe with some scrambled eggs. Yum!

I'm reading a really enjoyable book right now, Eating Heaven. I say that it is enjoyable because, well, it really is. Part of the story is sad (I won't go into detail) but the main character is so likeable. She is a food writer and the way she describes food is so real. I would highly recommend it.

Hmm, what else? I've been "working" from home the past few days and it has been really nice. I haven't had much to do but at least I'm not driving up to Sue's house. I suggested to Sue that we forward the gallery phone to my cell phone and that way someone will always answer the gallery phone but no one will be sitting there with nothing to do. It seems like a perfect solution. Well, except when my cell phone ran when I was shopping in Target earlier today...

I hope all is well with you.

xoxo.

Erica

Update

2006-03-27T15:18:00.000-08:00

It has been a while since I've written so I thought I would give you an update on my life.

The St. Patrick's Day Party/Beverly's (Casey's mom) 70th birthday party weekend was a huge hit. About 30 people from all over the country flew in to attend her party and soak up the wonderful Arizona weather (most out-of-towners came from MT). Thursday night was dinner at Kate's house. Friday (St. Patrick's Day) was a spring training game, alcoholic beverages at Seamus McCaffrey's Irish Pub, corned beef and cabbage at Bev's house. Saturday was the actual party, 120 people at Bev's, eating amazing mexican food catered by Casey's friend Mike. Sunday morning was brunch at Bev's (leftover mexican food accompanied by eggs so it felt more like brunch). Monday night was dinner at Mary Jo's. A few people stayed until Wednesday so Bev had over a week of celebrating! It was a lot of fun and everyone seemed to have an excellent time. Once all the family members got past the, "Oh, so you're Erica. We've heard about you" I even had some fun!

For only an additional $9 a month we can get a Cox digital video recorder (aka Tivo) thru Cox. We've been toying with the idea for some time and, after assurances from several friends that we won't watch more t.v., we went for it. Casey hooked it up this afternoon and asked me to figure out how to record. It took me less than 5 minutes to find a dozen things to record! I called, from our family room, to Casey, in the office, "Oh, this is going to be dangerous..." I have already scheduled recordings of Top Chef, Garden State, Sex and the City and some Debra Messing movie I've been wanting to see. I wanted to record Everyday Italian but I was already recording two programs around 5 pm today! (I can only record 2 programs at a time...come on...don't the Cox people know that there are more than 2 good shows on at once???). Yeah, right Kate, we're not going to watch more t.v. ?!?!

I'm still doing my running/walking thing and today I hit a milestone...I actually enjoyed myself. I ran on Saturday so my legs were still a bit sore when I started this morning so I began with a "oh, this is going to be a long run" attitude but something clicked in my head and I kind of enjoyed it! My legs were still a bit tired, but I pushed myself harder and finished several minutes faster than I had done days past. This afternoon I clocked the trip (walk to bridle path, walk/run on bridle path and walk back from bridle path) and it is 4.5 miles round trip. I am so proud of myself! Not to toot my own horn or anything! : ) As most of you know, I normally hate to exercise so this is huge for me.

That's all for now. Next time remind me to tell you about the cute Irishman wearing a kilt at Seamus McCaffrey's. Oh, and when Casey's cousin's husband spilled his Guinness on my foot and licked off the excess. Drunken, Irish fun ya know.

Sore legs and dirty fingernails...what a day!

2006-03-08T20:02:00.000-08:00

Today was a good day. It was cool and windy out so I went down to the Bridle Path on Central between Bethany Home and Northern and did my walk/run thing. It was a lot of fun, and I really mean that. I feel so good about myself when I do more than just lounge on the couch and watch t.v. or read. It takes me about 20 minutes to get to the path and then I walk/run for about 40 minutes and then walk back. My return walk takes more than 20 minutes since my legs are really tired and sore by then. I am trying to slowly build up my running skills. Right now I just run for about 1.5 minutes, walk for 2, run, walk, etc. I don't feel as winded as I thought I would, but my legs are sore. The place where my legs attach to my trunk (what an odd word) gets really sore. I must be using muscles I have never used! Casey suggested a few stretches and they helped but I'm really sore. Last time I ran I was sore for 2 days afterwards and had a really difficult time walking quickly sitting down, etc. I'm thinking this time it won't be as bad. I hope.

Later on in the day I went to Whitfill's Nursery and bought some flowers. I usually stick to a purple color scheme but I want crazy and bought some orange and yellow wildflower-looking flowers. They look great in the window boxes, especially since I left the purple lobelia in the box so the purple is in the front with the yellow and orange in the back. I had planned to use some of the flowers in the back yard but ended up using most in the front so I'll have to buy more.

Casey got some bouganvilla for the backyard so we'll have tons of color soon! We get irrigation Friday night, which is great because it will make digging much, much easier. Although none of that will matter if we don't get the weeds cut. To quote a friend, "so, are you cultivating dandelions in your backyard?" It is really bad. I can't get over how quickly they grow. I keep looking out the window and thinking I must pull them (yeah, right the yard is too hard) out and before I get to it they have doubled in size! I think I am going to leave that one to our yard guy. He charges $25 to cut our grass and even thought the grass hasn't grown much he can come and cut down the weeds. It will be a well-spent $25.

That's all for now. If I get around to it I'll post a picture of our new flowers. They make me so happy and I want to share the joy with you.

Telly Savalis, Sinead O'Conner and Friends.

2006-03-01T15:54:00.000-08:00

Anyone who knows me knows I am sort of crazy when it comes to hair. I have very wavy hair and choose to straighten it. Most people with straight hair think I'm crazy but I hate that my hair isn't quite curly and isn't quite straight, but somewhere in between.

I got my haircut on Saturday. The woman who cut it had cut it once before and last time I called the salon to tell her that she gave me one of the best haircuts, if not the best, I had ever had. Well, that was until this time. She cut it shorter than I really wanted, but she must have known it was going to be okay because I love it. It is slightly above my shoulders (a good 4 inches shorter than it was 3 months ago) and she cut it so it flips out at the ends. Well, if I could style it like her it would flip out! I just can't get the blow dryer/round brush thing to work. I've tried and tried and even asked stylists to slowly show me and I still can't get it. That means that I have to a) dry my hair with a blow dryer b) straighten it with a flat iron and c) curl the ends with a curling iron or rollers. That is too much work for even me! I should be able to curl up the ends with a flat iron but I could only get them to kink not curl so I found the neatest product at Sally Beauty Supply; it is a flat iron with a curl iron attached. Well, it is really a flat iron with a curling iron arm attached to the top of it so I can straighten and curl my hair with one tool! I am so excited. I needed a new iron because mine was not heating up properly (I think the cheap ones only last a few years) so I am thrilled to have found this one. And, for only $19.99! I just tested it out and it curled the ends of my hair perfectly. I'll have to see how the straightening iron works when I straighten my hair in the morning.

It is a good thing I found a solution to the serious problem. Otherwise I would have had to go back to my high school hair style! (see Title for a hint. He He).

P.S.
I just tried to spell check this and lost the entire post! Fortunatley, I was able to click the "recover post" button and get it back. I would not have been a happy camper if I lost this! Who cares about spelling anyway? Does it really matter that only 4 people read my post and all 4 used to work for newspapers (and 2 still do) and 2 were/are copy editors??? They won't care if I have spelling errors, will they? Or if they do they won't tell me because they love me! : )

I think I see a new career on the horizon...

2006-02-23T20:00:00.000-08:00

I just realized that my last two posts were about shopping! I guess I better watch those purse strings! Or at least not tell you guys about my purchases! He He.

My version of the great little black dress.

2006-02-23T19:50:00.000-08:00

This Saturday night I am attending a fundraiser for the Ceramic Research Center at ASU. The auction is the last event of a weekend of art-related events - studio tours, home tours, lectures, etc. I am on the planning committee and have been invited to sit at the table of the Dean of the College of Fine Arts (I had to drop that in. Forgive me for name dropping!)

The reason I mention this is because there is the issue of clothing! Last year I wore a black suit embellished with great jewelry (loaned by Andora Gallery) and a wonderful scarf. This year's dress code is listed as "cocktail attire." What in the hell does that mean? I decided to play it safe and wear black pants and a funky, yet sopisticated and stylish, mushroom/earth colored silk blouse. But, my problem is I don't have a great evening bag. Well, that is I didn't until now!

Leah and I were at the mall on Monday and I saw the cutest Calvin Klein clutch but it was a metallic bronze color and I decided that the color was too trendy, and even thought I loved, loved, loved the streamlined shape, I didn't buy it.

Since then I did a bit of research online and found the greatest black leather bag with silver edging. It isn't as modern looking as the Calvin Klein bag, but I think it will serve me better. I think it will be great with dressy cocktail clothes and also with more casual outfits. I'm excited to have found it after so much online research (ebay, bcbg, calvin klein, overstock.com, nordstrom's, etc) and wanted to share it with you.

Oh, and the second best part is that my friend Michele gave me a Westcor gift card for my b-day so I only had to pay for 1/2 of it because Michele paid for the other 1/2. Thanks Michele!

Happy b-day to me.

Limousines for my feet (as my dad would say).

2006-02-20T14:42:00.000-08:00

Here is a picture of my new running shoes. Yes, you heard me correctly...I am taking up running. Well, I am going to slowly transition from walking to running.

The last few years I've felt dissatisfied with the way my body has changed and I know it is only going to get worse as I get older. I hate feeling lumpy and I hate when my pants get tight!

Plus, I am feeling motivated because Claudine asked me to travel to Italy with her in September. She graduates in August and wants to take a celebratory trip and who am I to say no to Italy? I hope this trip is just the motivation I need to get in shape and get ready to wear a bikini in public!

For those of you from Phoenix, I bought my running shoes at The Runner's Den on 16th and Missouri. That place is amazing. The salesman made me walk for him to determine my type of arch, whether my foot rolls, etc. Then, when I had the shoes on, he made me go outside and run for him so he could see how the shoe fit my foot. These people don't mess around.

The shoe he originally recommended for me had a pink sole and pink interior and (not to sound like a girl!) I asked him if it came in any other colors. He laughed and said that he gets that question from women all the time and unfortunately that shoe came only in pink. Fortunately, he brought out this shoe. It isn't pink and it felt even better than the original. Woohoo! I am a happy camper. I think I'll break them in tomorrow morning. Wish me luck...I think I'll need it!

Memories...

2006-02-17T12:42:00.000-08:00

And now the Muppets! I love these stamps. And, the Jim Henson picture is a stamp too!

When I was young my dad and I would watch the Muppet show together every Sunday night. Ahh, memories.

Ooooh, look at the pretty pictures!

2006-02-17T12:36:00.000-08:00

Ann told me how to post a picture (the easy way!). The way I was doing it before was much more complicated. Let's see if it works...

well, it worked but I got 2 pictures! I'll have to practice a bit.

Thanks, Ann!

Stamps!!!

2006-02-16T15:04:00.000-08:00

I am one of those old fashioned people who like to send and receive snail mail. I also like to adorn my mail with pretty stamps. Recently I bought the Muppet stamps and very carefully selected who received which stamp. I think I save Fozzy bear until the end; he's one of my favorites.

Today I went to the post office to buy more stamps and I found out that the "Favorite Children's Book Animals" stamps had come out and I was so excited (I'd been waiting for a while for them).

Featured characters include:

The Very Hungry Caterpillar ("The Very Hungry Caterpillar" by Eric Carle, 1969 and 1987)

Maisy ("Maisy's ABC" by Lucy Cousins, 1994 in the U.K. and 1995 in the U.S.)

Wild Thing ("Where the Wild Things Are" by Maurice Sendak,1963)

Curious George ("Curious George Flies A Kite" by Margret and H.A. Rey, 1958)

Wilbur ("Charlotte's Web" by E.B. White, 1952)Frederick ("Frederick" by Leo Lionni, 1967)

Olivia ("Olivia" by Ian Falconer, 2000)

Fox in Socks ("Fox in Socks" by Dr. Seuss, 1965)

I love the Olivia and Fox in Socks stamp! And, of course, I thought of Ann when I saw the Curious George stamp. He's holding a small, white rabbit. Ann, who is the rabbit?

I tried to post a copy of the stamps here...

but I couldn't remember how to post pictures.

Visa and Cox will be so happy when they receive my next checks!

This can't be everything...it has been months since I've written...there must be more?!?

2006-01-19T14:22:00.000-08:00

It has been months since I last wrote so I thought I would catch you up...

1. I didn't get the job at Mesa Contemporary Arts (see earlier posts). I was candidate #2 and candidate #1 accepted the job. I was quite bummed for several days and then it sort of passed. That is, until I learned who got the job and it is a woman I know! I guess I can't be too upset because she is an extremely nice woman and very good at her (current) job. I guess I understand why she was offered the job. But, just between us, I am still a smidge bitter!

2. Christmas was good. Our tree is still up and I'm still enjoying it. Although, every time the mailman comes to our house, Oso jumps up on the sill and knocks off half of the pine needles. It is probably time to take it down but I have an excuse...our bulk trash pick-up isn't until February 4th so I have an excuse to enjoy the nightly glow for a few more weeks.

3. We finally have heat...again! Late last week our heater started making a very painful sound. Each time the heater clicked on, we would hear a very loud sucking noise that was quite painful to my delicate ears! Upon inspection Casey found that the fan was broken and doing something funky (my technical word, not his). He had to order a part and it took 2 days. Normally that wouldn't be too bad but our heater broke during the coldest week we've had this winter. Casey is never ever cold and even he had to wear wool ski socks in the house! He got the new part and spent an entire day trying to put it in. After enlisting the help of his friend Paul they got it in (by candlelight at 6:30 at night [well, by flashlight]!) but our "squirrel screen" was damaged in the process so he had to order a new one. That should be installed this weekend. $400 later we are nice and warm!

3. Part B - FYI - a really good way to get warm when your heat is broken is to warm up your clothes in the dryer. Friday morning I had to get up and go to Sue's house and our house was freezing so I stuck my jeans and socks in the dryer. I was toasty warm after that!

4. Claudine is arranging a summer trip to Tuscany and I cannot wait! She is hoping to find enough friends to rent a house so we can all chip in x amount and enjoy the gorgeous surroundings! We'll be able to daytrip to Rome and might even travel to France. I think this trip will be the motivation I need to get back to the gym. If anyone wants to go just let me know.

That's all for now.

Back from the Windy City.

2005-11-04T16:40:00.000-08:00

Hi all. I'm back from Chicago and happy to be home. After 10 days of sleeping in a hotel, my bed felt might darn good.

The art show went well. It was a ton of work (unpack, set-up, work the show for 4 days and pack everything up again!), but Casey flew out to help with take-down and that helped. Plus, I extended my ticket by one day so that we could have a day and a half to tool around Chicago. We went to the Chicago Board of Trade and Wrigley Field. The Board of Trade doesn't allow visitors to watch the traders (damn terrorists!) and Wrigley Field was closed. We sort of struck out, I guess. But, we had fun taking the "L" and getting to and from the various places.

And, I got to break out my scarf, which doesn't see much action considering I live in the desert! Today I am back to shorts and lovin' it.

Oh Great....

2005-10-18T14:51:00.000-07:00

As read online today:

Supreme Court nominee Harriet Miers pledged support in 1989 for a constitutional amendment banning abortions except when necessary to save the life of the mother, according to material given to the Senate on Tuesday.

As a candidate for the Dallas city council, Miers also signaled support for the overall agenda of Texans United for Life, agreeing that she would support legislation restricting abortions if the Supreme Court ruled that states could ban abortions and would participate in "pro-life rallies and special events." ...

New Job...I hope...

2005-10-14T15:56:00.000-07:00

So, I just applied for a job at the Mesa Arts Center. The position is Associate Curator and I think this would be an amazing position. The job is comparible to what I do now, but more of the good stuff and less of the bad stuff! I really hope to make it through (at least) the initial review process. I don't love their system because the applicant has to fill out on online application that doesn't have any room for a cover letter. I hate writing cover letters, but the cover letter is the only way to really hit the reviewer over the head and say, "hey, look at me and my qualifications...I'm perfect for this job!"

The HR department will review the applications and pass them on to the curator. I really hope I make it through stage 1, especially since I know the head curator (and used to work with her when I was an intern at Tempe Arts Center). I'll keep you posed. In the meantime, please send good work vibes my way!

I've Been Dissed!

2005-10-11T18:44:00.000-07:00

Ever since Ann, Claudine, Kate and my cousin moved away last year, I have been missing my friends a lot. I have many friends who still live here, but it seems that every year people move away and I need to work on making new friends...not an easy thing to do.

Casey joined a kayaking listserv and suggested I look for a Yahoo group to join. I found a professional women in Arizona group and began emailing with several women. We got along okay, and decided to meet. I should have known it was too good to be true when one of the women suggested we meet at Fat Tuesday's. Now, I have nothing against Fat Tuesday's, but as most of you know I am not much of a drinker and should have seen this as a sign.

The women were nice enough, and would probably make great friends, but not to me. We had very little in common and just didn't feel that connection. As Claudine said, "It is kind of like dating; either you have that connection or you don't." I guess she is right.

I haven't really written them since we met, as I don't exactly know what to say. At the same time, my feelings are hurt because the haven't really written me either! Casey said, "Why do you care? You didn't really like them anyway?" That isn't the point! I wanted them to like me. Or, more to the point, I wanted a "love connection."

To my dear friends, Ann, Claudine, Kate and Michelle...I miss you.

Buying Kleenex Stock...

2005-10-10T21:31:00.000-07:00

Damn it! I have this damn cold again! I got it the beginning of September and couldn't shake it for two weeks. As soon as I felt better, Casey got it. He just got over it and now I have it again. Maybe I should be quarantined as to not infect anyone else!

Yode-lay-he-hoo a.ka. Yahoo-hoo-hoo

2005-10-06T19:02:00.000-07:00

For all of you who like to yahoo (I had to say that), err I.M., I just set up Yahoo Messenger. My name is lululynne708 so feel free to drop me a note. Now that I am working at home (or not working at home, as the case may be), I check my email all the time so say hi the next time you get online!

Hell in a Handbasket

2005-09-23T18:08:00.000-07:00

Our world is going to hell in a handbasket. I cannot believe this!

School Expels Girl for Having Gay Parents
Fri Sep 23, 7:05 AM ET
ONTARIO, Calif. - A 14-year-old student was expelled from a Christian school because her parents are lesbians, the school's superintendent said in a letter.

Shay Clark was expelled from Ontario Christian School on Thursday.
"Your family does not meet the policies of admission," Superintendent Leonard Stob wrote to Tina Clark, the girl's biological mother.

Stob wrote that school policy requires that at least one parent may not engage in practices "immoral or inconsistent with a positive Christian life style, such as cohabitating without marriage or in a homosexual relationship," The Los Angeles Times reported in Friday's edition.
Stob could not be reached for comment by the newspaper. Shay and her parents said they won't fight the ruling.

School administrators learned of the parents' relationship this week after Shay was reprimanded for talking to the crowd during a football game, Tina Clark said.
Clark and her partner have been together 22 years and have two other daughters, ages 9 and 19.

Fuse Away!

2005-09-21T21:35:00.000-07:00

Several weeks ago Casey told me that he was planning a surprise evening for us and that I was to keep the evening of September 20th open. He wouldn't tell me what we were going to do, but told me to dress casual. Well, last night was the 20th and I'm happy to report that we had the best time cooking Asian Fusion food at a demonstration kitchen at a local Viking showroom. The company Casey works for owns the building where the Viking showroom is located and when he was doing some work on the building he met the chef who runs the classes.

We, along with two other couples (Robert and Leah were one...for those of you who know Robert and Leah...they were in on the surprise and kept their lips sealed right up until the very last minute...I think they are better than I at keeping secrets.) made pot stickers with a sauce, spring rolls with two dipping sauces, pork tenderloin with a peanut sauce/rub, spicy noodles and chocolate pie for dessert (not Asian but yummy nonetheless). The food was great (I particularly like the pork with peanut sauce) and it was a lot of fun. Thanks, Casey!

Painful Things Women do to be "Beautiful."

2005-09-16T16:10:00.000-07:00

My friend Ann recently posted a blog about a woman trying to wax her bikini line... herself...at home...while her kids slept...

It was hilarious and painful to read and made me think, "why do women have this obsession with removing all traces of body hair?" I'll admit that I am indeed one of those women who hates body hair. I have dark hair and have been shaving my legs every day for as long as I can remember. Thankfully Costco carries Skintimate by the caseload!

Last year, for the first time, I had my eyebrows professionally waxed and I loved it. It didn't hurt and my eyes looked so much better..bigger and better framed. Now I think I am on the road to becoming a waxing junkie. I want to get my bikini line waxed (eek!)...I don't know that it is something I'll necessarily do on a regular basis, but I want to try it at least once. My sister did it and said it was no big deal. However, my other sister got her legs waxed and said it hurt more than childbirth!

Comments from the peanut gallery would be much appreciate. Let me know about your personal waxing stories...and try not to scare me too much...thanks in advance...

OH MY God... A New Post?!?

2005-09-11T12:45:00.000-07:00

Yes, believe it or not I am writing a new post. I really want to be better at this but it just isn't in me. My friends Ann and Jen are so good at keeping their blogs updated. Since Jen left her job at the Arizona Republic she often blogs 2 or 3 times a day! And, she is often feeding her readers tidbits of information about our imbecile president and his staff...it is great fun to read her blog! Ann's blog often has a food and wine theme and I love that. By reading her blog I almost feel like I am in California with her! Speaking of...

Casey and I went to California for vacation and had a wonderful time. We spent three nights with our very generous friends Ann and Curt, and one night in Sacramento with my dear friend James Lovera. The trip was perfect...fun with friends, great food and great weather (except that it was a bit cold for this Arizona girl). Oh, and except for the tailbone incident, but that is another story. If I can remember how to post photos to my blog, I will post a few photos from our wondrous weekend.

Good Snacks, Bad Weather

2005-07-21T19:27:00.000-07:00

Okay, I have been obscenely remiss in writing lately. I'm sorry to the three people who look at my blog on a regular basis. They news...

1. I love curves! I joined a few weeks ago and actually don't mind working out. Now, it is only for 30 minutes and it isn't a super strenuous sort of workout, but it is better than my usual sitting on the couch eating pita chip workout!

2. Andora Gallery is closing. As of August 31st the gallery doors are closing. I'll continue to work for Sue for a bit, but that won't last forever. However, I'm feeling okay because in the last 24 hours I've had two people tell me about two galleries jobs! Plus, I have a bit of cushion and can explore my options. It is sad, and I'll miss the gallery, but it is time to move on.

3. For those of you out there you have dogs who are frightened by the monsoons, save your $26 and don't buy a thunderstorm cd on line. I bought one and Oso slept through it the first time I played it! The second time he just sat there as if he didn't even here it. We turned it up as loud as we could and he just looked as us as if to say "okay...what's new...more loud music." However, when it monsooned Sunday night (and Monday and Tuesday and Wednesday) he certainly saw the lightening and heard the wind. Hmmm, how would one desensitize a dog to lightening?!?

4. Blueberries are in season and I am a happy camper. They are my favorite food and I can easily eat a pint at one sitting. I have some in the fridge right now and they are calling to me! "Violet you're turning violet!"

More soon...I promise...

Scaredy Dog.

2005-06-23T18:08:00.000-07:00

I have been bad about writing lately, and my friend Ann asked when I was going to write again, so I thought I better jot something down.

I was up until 2 am last night because damn Oso (oops, I mean Oso who I love so dearly) is scared of storms and would not stop whining and wimpering next to my side of the bed. One would think that this big, black chow who would bite off the mailman's head if allowed, could handle some lightening and thunder and rain. I was in the shower and I saw him come into the bathroom so I look out the shower doors and he is cowering under the bathroom sink facing the corner. Then, when I sit down on the toilet he comes and sits down right next to me (as close as he could possibly be!)!

In the past, the vet suggested we try giving Oso benedryl so when I saw the storm coming last night, I whipped out the peanut butter and slathered it around 2 benedryl. It didn't do a thing. How is it that I can take 1/2 a benedryl and I am whiped for the entire day, but Oso can take 2 and not feel a thing? The vet wrote a prescription for some other medication so I'll give it a try. And, someone at Petsmart suggested we buy a c.d. of storms and play it when the weather is nice so Oso begins to get desensitized. I think maybe we are going a bit too far, but I'll do almost anything for a good night's sleep. I really, really hope it doesn't storm tonight because I really need to get some zzz's.

On an unrelated note, do any of you have a difficult time reading this type? My sister said that it is so small on her screen that she can barely read it. I'm wondering if it is just her computer or if it is that way on all screens. Thanks for letting me know.

Better run. I'm meeting Jen and Dave for dinner. Ann, we'll miss you.

2005-06-05T21:55:00.000-07:00

Here are the old posts. See Casey's saw horses with the new posts waiting to be cut and placed. The new ones look so much better (or will once I finish the painting).

2005-06-05T21:53:00.000-07:00

Here's Oso at attention. He loves being out in the front yard, and since Casey was doing some work out front, he tied Oso up with a rope. The rope is long enough for Oso to roam the front yard without leaving the yard. One time he choked himself when he saw the mailman across the street! We shouldn't have laughed but it was so funny!

Here a post, there a post, everywhere a post post.

2005-06-05T21:27:00.000-07:00

Not much new to report from this end. Last weekend Casey replaced the posts that support our carport. They were probably the original posts from 1950 and were quite weathered. Casey doesn't "do" painting so my job was to paint the new posts. Not a bad job, but not a fun job either (especially when it is 100+ degrees in the shade!). I decided to use my evening wisely and tackle the painting tonight. It took much longer than I thought it would so I only got one post completely painted. But, I finished the brush work on the remaining 4 so the rolling won't take too long.

While I painted I "jammed" out to the new Dave Matthews album. Several years ago I saw DMB in concert and was really disappointed. However, I really like their albums and the new one is great. There are several songs that are excellent and I can just listen to them over and over again. And, if fact, I do!

More later...

2005-05-26T21:03:00.000-07:00

Here is a picture of Oso looking so cute. I recently bought a box of dog bones and saw that Milkbone is having a contest and the winner's dog will be featured on the box. I think Oso would be adorable on the box of bones, but I imagine the judges will pick a more conventional beauty...a golden retriever, spaniel, etc. Oso is prettier than all those dogs combined! And, tonight we bought clippers so soon enough he'll be beautifully groomed too!

Hot Dogs, Chips, Beer and Heat...oooh fun!

2005-05-26T20:32:00.000-07:00

One more day and counting...until Memorial Day weekend that is. I don't have any specific plans but it is a holiday weekend so I am thinking that we should host a bbq. However, as you Arizonans know, it is too darn hot during the day! So, I'm thinking we could have an evening bbq that doesn't begin until after sunset. Not quite the same though, huh...

Thanks to all of you who have made comments on my blog. Laura, it was so nice to hear from you. I am glad that you are doing well. When you have time send me an email with all the meat. Claudine keeps me posted from time to time so I hear some general information but I'd love to hear details about work, home, Andy, etc. I'm so pleased that you are happy with your decision to move back. Last week I drove by your former place and I thought of you.

Tonight we had Thai food at a really good restaurant near us. We have been trying to eat at home more often (and save $) but after having dinner at home several nights in a row, we were ready for a night out. We ordered red curry (my choice...yum!) and pork with ginger. Double yum. The place was mobbed, and ironically (as Casey pointed out) everyone dining was part of a couple...and not a "first date" kind of couple but the kind who have been together for some time and hit the Thai restuarant every Thursday night. It was kind of odd.

Casey just came in and asked if I was "rambling again?" I guess I am. However, I didn't give him my blog address so he can't check what I'm writing. I think that if I do, he'll write sarcastic comments!

More later...

V-A-C-A-T-I-O-N

2005-05-23T21:42:00.000-07:00

Summer vacation here we come! Casey and I are planning a summer trip to California to see our dear friends Ann and Curt (yes, I'm sucking up a bit because they are very kindly allowing us to bunk with them for several nights). We're hoping to go mid-late August and stay for 4 or 5 nights. I am friends with an artist in Sacramento so we'll probably drive up and spend one night with him. I'm really looking forward to seeing everyone, and to being in San Francisco. It has been several years and the trip is long overdue.

This trip will also be special for two reasons: 1 - it will be right after Casey's birthday and be a belated gift and 2 - it will be right after Casey graduates from ASU. Yes, you heard right...Casey is taking two summer sessions back to back (ugh) and will be graduating in August instead of December. I am really excited for him and I think this trip will be a wonderful way for him to decompress after two and a half months of summer session. The location won't quite compare with Casey's exotic travels from last summer (China and Bali), but the overall vacation will be even better because I'll be there! : )

More soon...

Blogging Schlogging

2005-05-22T16:03:00.000-07:00

I'm not sure that I am destined for this blogging thing. I am already frustrated because I can't set up my page the way I want it to be set up! I want my photo next to my name not over on the area near my entries! This blogging thing might be short lived!

On to bigger and better things...Costco. I love Costco! I just went and spent $114 on nothingness. Well, not exactly...I bought chicken and pork chops and strawberries and asparagus and perrier for Casey and a book for me. How can that add up to $114?!? Oh, and pita chips. I just LOVE Stacy's Pita Chips. If you haven't tried them, definitely, definitely, definitely go grab a bag. The one good thing about Costco is that it was pretty cool in there today. Considering it is around 112 degrees outside I was mighty happy to spend 45 minutes in a cool air conditioned warehouse.

I came home to find Oso lounging as usual. Now that it is hot out he sleeps even more than before (if that is possible). A couple times each day, I walk over to make sure that his chest is still going up and down because I worry that one of these days he is going to plop down on the floor for a nap and that is going to be it : (

I better run and get cooking. Casey is kayaking today and I told him that I would make dinner...grilled chicken, broccoli and parsely potatoes (pah-tah-tahs as Casey would make me say!). I think I'll save the pork chops and risotto for tomorrow night. Yum. Want to come?

2005-05-21T22:21:00.000-07:00

You'll Read it Because You Love Me! : )

2005-05-21T21:39:00.000-07:00

Okay, so my friend Ann set up a blog and at first I didn't think about it much. Now that she has moved to CA, I check it every day or two as a great way to stay up to date with what she is up to. I love to read the short anecdotes about work, her husband, her cat, etc. So, I decided to set up my own blog. I'll only share this with out of town friends and family because everyone else will probably be bored by it! But, then again, you are my friends and family so you have to smile and say, "oh, isn't it sweet that Oso sat next to Erica for six hours straight. And, I guess it is sweet that she felt the need to share this information with us?!?"

Here goes nothing...Blog #1.

Erica