Sally in the house

I still don't understand how this became acceptable only after I moved out.Sally looks kind of guilty in this one--that's exactly the look Maggie gets after she's knocked over the trash can. No idea when these were taken except that it was after August 1987.

Chinese New Year

Our across the street neighbors invited us to celebrate the Chinese New Year with them last Saturday night. We went to their favorite restaurant and had a tasty but uneventful meal until suddenly the dining room was invaded by dragons, acrobats and drums.There were five dragons in a very small space. It was mayhem.

To ensure good luck in the New Year, you should feed the dragons.It's fun to pet them, too.

Bratty little James kept grabbing their tails!

Kyle, Ryan, Jozshua, James.

January 2009.

Dual nap

2002

Happy birthday to me

When we were kids, our parents gave us two choices in regards to birthdays. We could either have really good presents or a small gift and a good party. In 1981, I chose the party. I can't remember whether or not I had a slumber party but I definitely remember the riding. We rented horses at Azusa Stables and went on a little trail ride. Little did I know that in a few years I would be riding those same trails on a regular basis!
The picture above this is of my friend Cindy. The next one is of Erin and Amy.

I rode a skinny little bay horse named Gift Wrap. Check out my fancy equitation--those heels are down!

Stock Show with kids

I have visited the Denver Stock Show many, many times over the years, but until today I had never gone there with a whole busload of third graders. The first thing most of the kids wanted to do was go to the petting zoo.Mrs. Beswick pets her favorite animal.Abenezer and friend.

Fatima.I really like this picture of Ryan.
The John Deere booth is always popular. These are the four silly children that I was personally responsible for.
Catherine and Fatima.

Angus cow show.

The kids learn how to "candle" an egg. They are holding it up to a light to see whether or not it's fertilized.

Ernesto, Ryan and a rodeo clown. This clown pretty much demanded I take a picture of him with the kids. The kids were not into it.

There are a lot of neat things to see at the Stock Show, but nothing beats the horses. Here is my group posing with a very tolerant Clydesdale.

January 2009.

Ryan's first camping trip

Ryan's first camping trip was at Golden Gate Canyon State Park in June 2001. The weather did not cooperate and the first hour there was spent in the car debating weather or not we should just go home. Luckily, the rainclouds eventually blew away and we were able to set up the tent and make dinner.

Ryan was very interested in the camp stove. At first he was happy to watch Dada cook.It wasn't long, though, before he wanted to help.Eventually he was given cooking utensils of his own so that he could make some very special campstyle mud pies.
It was really muddy. I do not know why he's not wearing shoes. Bad parents!

No camping trip is complete without a diggy to guard the tent.

First picture

First kid and dog picture of 2009.
The kids look happier than the dogs!

Hiking in Tennessee

When Seth and I were still living in Tennessee we used to go hiking in Meeman-Shelby Forest State Park. Bordering on the Mississippi River, Meeman-Shelby Forest was just a short drive north of Memphis.What the park lacked in mountainous terrain, it made up for in trees.I distinctly remember Seth laughing at me because I could not climb as high as he could. He is such a meanie!Of course the best dog child ever was always a part of our hikes. If you look closely in the above picture, you can see her following me up the tree. All these photos are undated, but I'm pretty sure they're from 1996 or 1997.