roxanne, explorer extraordinaire

I love that the mountains are greening up. It's only the middle of January, and the days are warm (almost too warm) and everything is turning green again . . . well, as green as it ever gets around here.
Roxanne and I went hiking this week. I asked her how long or how far she wanted to go. She agreed to go anywhere I wanted, so we went on quite a hefty hike - just short of 3 hours. Did she get tired? no. Sore? no. Oh to be a teenager again. It was fun to spend a few hours with her. How can you live in a house with someone and not really have many opportunities to slow down and talk? I think we've got to do this more often.

lucky number 57

I thought my days of worrying about my little boy's skeletal structure were over. We sat through years of high school football games cringing every time he stood against a brute on the opposing team. Now here he is again, playing center on his team. He hikes the ball and smashes head first into grown men - older and bigger and meaner than he is.

Brady joined a community league football team this year. He has loved football since middle school. He played it every recess, every year through high school and has joined up again. He is on the Wolverines? or the Wolfpack? I can't remember, some wolf-like name.

His team took on a team from Casa Grande today and they were in the valley so we gathered up his fan club went to cheer him on. (btw, I don't know what fashion statement Melanie is making here.)

Anyway, he got to keep his old high school jersey number 57 so he gets to continue hearing our favorite cheer. "Hey, 57 -- give 'em the SAUCE!" (get it? . . . Heinz 57? . . . steak sauce? . . . well, he never has appreciated the cleverness of it either.)

Nevertheless, he loves the game and we enjoy cheering him on. There is only one thing I so very badly want to shout out to help my little boy succeed on the playing field. "Pull up your socks, buddy!!"

hello alarm clock

Well, we are back to alarm clocks, back to tight schedules. I just wanted to write an update for my own journaling. I should title this "What I did during Winter Break". I don't know why I think I was really ON a break. I realize I only teach a class one hour a day, but when the lesson planning is also added, it seems like a whole heck of a lot of work. So when school is out, I feel like I'm on vacation, even though everything else in my life is still full speed ahead. These are in no particular order:

I went on a very nice hike with Lauri - 3.5 miles up and over and back around Shaw Butte. It was a pleasant day and a nice hike and a good time to catch up on everything with my sister. I didn't take my camera with me that day, but we saw something funny. Melanie and I hiked up there a few days later to take some pictures. I went on a hike with Suzanne, Penny and Melanie - 11 miles through Phoenix Mountain Preserves. Suzanne claims I tricked her into it by telling her it was 7 miles. The trail guide says it is 10.7 miles. That's what I told her, but her selective hearing just heard the number 7. I know in hiking terms 7 miles does sound better than 10 miles, but a long walk either way. If anyone is familiar with the Phoenix valley, we started at Tatum and ended at 7th Avenue on mountain trails.

Dave and I celebrated New Year's Eve at 6:30 in the evening. We went to dinner with friends, noise makers at 8:00, we were home by 8:30, then spent the rest of the evening hauling around a 14 year old to all her activities. My "primary" friend , Suzanne celebrated her 50th birthday with a lovely dinner party. It was a great evening and we got to visit with many old friends (old, as in "I haven't seen you for a long time" . . . not old, as in "'wow, you're over 50!"). Happy Birthday, Suzanne!

I also hiked with the girl scouts. We drove out to the White Tank Mountains. None of us had been there before, but we were armed with maps and trail guides. We hiked to the waterfall, which you have to remember . . . in the desert, waterfalls don't always have actual water. However, it was just trickling and enough water had pooled to have a fun hour climbing around on the rocks. We were going to spend the afternoon actually doing a harder hike, but we decided not to at the last minute, we explored the campground and the picnic areas and familiarized ourselves with the area for next time. (p.s. It's girl scout cookie time. Be expecting a call from Melanie)We helped my brother's family provide Christmas (gifts, stockings and food) for a family in need. Then the next morning, we went caroling at a rehab facility in Mesa, visiting with patients and handing out gift bags. Our ward choir put on a whole Cantata (definition- a REALLY long and hard song) - "Christmas in Zarahemla". I was impressed at that feat done by our little choir. I was even more impressed with Heidi for playing the piano. (I was the pianist at first when this music was decided on and handed to me to start learning. I am SOOOOO glad it was passed on to you in the nick of time, Heidi. You are my new hero!)

I got our Christmas cards out. I like sending out cards, and I LOVE getting cards and newsletters. Every year I think I am going to get them out early. I am impressed by those I receive the first few days of December. But alas, if ours get done at all, they are usually postmarked on the 23rd. Next year, I'll get them out early!

I painted pantry doors, part of our bathroom and the walls of the stairway.It wasn't an exciting project, but I had a goal to do a day of painting, a day of tax records, a day of sewing and mending, and a long day of hiking during Christmas break. Sadly, the mending is still waiting to get done.

I read a book - "The Devil's Highway" by Luis Alberto Urrea. It's a fascinating and heartbreaking non-fiction book about events happening right here in our back yard -- border crossings. I'm usually cutting it close getting a book read by our book club meeting. I actually got this one read 2 weeks early.

That's all. I can't wait for the next 3-day weekend.

things i've done

I saw this on someone else's blog. It's a list of 100 things you may or may not have done. The rules are simple. Copy and paste the list, putting the things you've done in bold. I'm not tagging anyone, just play if you feel like it.

Here is my list of things I've done (in bold print)

1. Started my own blog
2. Slept under the stars
3. Played in a band
4. Visited Hawaii
5. Watched a meteor shower
6. Given more than I can afford to charity
7. Been to Disneyland/world
8. Climbed a mountain
9. Held a praying mantis
10. Sung a solo
11. Bungee jumped
12. Visited Paris
13. Watched a lightning storm at sea
14. Taught myself an art from scratch
15. Adopted a child
16. Had food poisoning
17. Walked to the top of the Statue of Liberty
18. Grown my own vegetables
19. Seen the Mona Lisa in France
20. Slept on an overnight train
21. Had a pillow fight
22. Hitchhiked
23. Taken a sick day when you’re not ill
24. Built a snow fort
25. Held a lamb
26. Gone skinny dipping
27. Run a marathon
28. Ridden in a gondola in Venice
29. Seen a total eclipse
30. Watched a sunrise or sunset
31. Hit a home run
32. Been on a cruise
33. Seen Niagara Falls in person
34. Visited the birthplace of my ancestors
35. Seen an Amish community
36. Taught myself a new language
37. Had enough money to be truly satisfied
38. Seen the Leaning Tower of Pisa in person
39. Gone rock climbing
40. Seen Michelangelo’s David
41. Sung karaoke
42. Seen Old Faithful geyser erupt
43. Bought a stranger a meal at a restaurant
44. Visited Africa
45. Walked on a beach by moonlight
46. Been transported in an ambulance
47. Had my portrait painted
48. Gone deep sea fishing
49. Seen the Sistine Chapel in person
50. Been to the top of the Eiffel Tower in Paris
51. Gone scuba diving or snorkeling
52. Kissed in the rain
53. Played in the mud
54. Gone to a drive-in theater
55. Been in a movie
56. Visited the Great Wall of China
57. Started a business
58. Taken a martial arts class
59. Visited Russia
60. Served at a soup kitchen
61. Sold Girl Scout Cookies
62. Gone whale watching
63. Got flowers for no reason
64. Donated blood
65. Gone sky diving
66. Visited a Nazi Concentration Camp
67. Bounced a check
68. Flown in a helicopter
69. Saved a favorite childhood toy
70. Visited the Lincoln Memorial
71. Eaten caviar or escargot
72. Pieced a quilt
73. Stood in Times Square
74. Toured the Everglades
75. Been fired from a job
76. Seen the Changing of the Guards in London
77. Broken a bone
78. Been on a speeding motorcycle
79. Seen the Grand Canyon in person
80. Published a book
81. Visited the Vatican
82. Bought a brand new car
83. Walked in Jerusalem
84. Had my picture in the newspaper
85. Read the entire Bible
86. Visited the White House
87. Killed and prepared an animal for eating
88. Had chickenpox
89. Saved someone’s life
90. Sat on a jury
91. Met someone famous
92. Joined a book club
93. Lost a loved one
94. Had a baby
95. Seen the Alamo in person
96. Swam in the Great Salt Lake
97. Been involved in a law suit
98. Owned a cell phone
99. Been stung by a bee
100. Been to a foreign country

Well, I haven't done even half of the list. I'd better get busy.
(btw, is #37 even possible?)