My Journey Today (Sunday)

This morning I was awakened by my almost 2 year old son at 3am crying. Juan wasn't home yet. (Another whole story that I don't feel like telling.) So I brought him into my room to lay down with me. He tossed around for about an hour and finally fell back to sleep. Then around 7:45am, he woke me up with a tap on my arm and his cute little "MAAAMMMAAAAA!" It was later than my usual time to get up to get ready for church but I decided to get ready and go anyway. I am really glad I went because our new priest Father McCaffrey told us about his work and how that relates to TACOS. Teach, Absolve, Console, & Offer Sacrifice. He told us that just yesterday he had to console a family that had their 24 year old daughter killed by a drunk driver. He talked about her sister that said she was very angry and didn't know if she could get past it. He told us what he told her and that was that she could either forgive and begin healing or she could not forgive and let that control her every move. If she decided to forgive, the healing may take weeks, months, or even years. That story meant a lot to me, especially today.

I made a last minute decision to take off and spend the day all by myself. I needed to think and clear my head and spend some time with nature. I wanted to go to Prescott to see if I could find my favorite perfume again since the store moved and I can't remember where they moved. So I packed a change of clothes and my laptop in case I took too many pictures and needed to download any of them. My camera is always in my purse. Off I went.

My first stop was to Del Taco in Anthem. I love Del Taco because I can get a chicken burrito, french fries AND a cherry coke all in the same place. I stopped under a tree and ate my lunch and then I was on my way again. I drove until I got to Prescott and just into the city limits, I stopped on the side of the road to take some pictures of the clouds. They were the big fluffy ones that I love!

Then, I drove down to Gurley St. This is the main shopping area in Prescott. There are TONS of shops there and on Sundays, they do a sort of swap meet on the Courthouse lawn. So I decided to park and go look for my place. It's called Aromaworks. They have this perfume there called Kimono Rose and I have never found it anywhere other than in Prescott and in Atlanta at the hotel I stayed in when I was there for work. Now I have lost my store... I didn't find it.

I went over to the swap meet and looked around. The wind was picking up and it seemed like it might rain. I looked around. There was some pretty cool stuff there. Lots of Native American things. Pretty neat.

The picture below is one that I took of the courthouse through the trees. This is one of my favorite places in Prescott because of all the trees.

I continued to take pictures as I walked through the "shops." This one is just a shot from the ground looking up at the clouds through the trees.

Here is a wall fountain that one of the vendors there sold. I thought of my father-in-law when I saw them.

It started to rain so I took cover under some trees. I rained for about 30 minutes and I just stayed under the trees to stay as dry as possible. I saw this Bible in the middle of the grass on a linen. It was getting wet and there was no one around it. I would have gotten this shot from the other side but I didn't want to get my camera wet...

Then I decided to leave since the rain had stopped. I have wanted to see the movie "Public Enemies" since it came out and I saw a theatre sign on my way to the shops. I followed the signs up a winding road and at each turn there was a new sign that said Theatre and had an arrow saying which way to go. I thought for a few moments that maybe there wasn't really one up there but I continued to follow the signs. Low and behold! There was a theatre! I think it had 5 movies. Public Enemies was one of them. It was 2PM and it started at 2:30. YAY!!! I have never went to the movies by myself but since I had some time and have tried to go see it with people before with no success, I bought my ticket and some popcorn and a drink. The movie was good. I know a lot more about John Dillinger than this movie showed but it was still good. The movie was over at about 4:45 and it was raining again so I decided to start making my way home. I had thought about spending the night there but Juan had to work the next day so I headed home. There were a couple of things that I had seen on the drive in that I wanted to take pictures of so I kept my eyes peeled for them on the way out.

Here are some cars that have been here for a LONG time. The sign on the way into this car graveyard says, "No Parts, Not for sale, Not a yard to leave your junk in. It's the future home of the Mayer Historical Car Museum" or something like that. The gate was open so I went in.

Then I left there and headed back down the 69. On the way in, there was a line of mailboxes and nothing else in sight. I looked for those again. I found them. I'm sure the people that were driving by thought I was bonkers, but oh well!! I thought they looked neat.

I got home around 6:45 or so. I had a nice day. I laughed, took pictures, cried, watched people, watched a movie, and got to do a few of my favorite things. All in all, a good day.

I didn't know!!!

I didn't know that the toddler came in the diaper box!! I better check the label next time.

Dinner Guest

Macaroni and Cheese: $1.50

Time Spent preparing: 15 minutes

An unexpected dinner guest: Priceless

Here is our doggie, Roscoe, peeking into the window this evening with his glowing eyes while we were eating dinner. He just wanted a bite!

Oh and don't look at the handprints on the window or my 9 month old blue painter's tape at the bottom of the window. (I haven't finished painting yet!!)

Down for the Count

This is Juanito asleep at the table after barely eating anything. He really wasn't feeling good after all the throwing up and coughing he had been doing all week. He was eating mini corn dogs and we were on the couch and after a short time, we noticed he wasn't making too much noise. We went to check on him and here he was, out cold.

He loves his sissies!

The other morning when I was getting ready for work, I heard Juanito escaping from his room. He hadn't been feeling all that great so he wasn't sleeping very well. So, I went to see what he was doing and to make sure he was ok. I went up to him and in his cute little "I'm learning how to talk" voice he says, "Hi Mama!" I knew he still didn't feel good but he always greets me that way no matter how he feels. I held him for a few minutes and then put him down so I could go and get him a sippy cup with milk. Usually, he will follow me to the fridge but this time he didn't. When I went back to the rooms with his milk, this is what I found:

This is all 3 of my kids in one bed with all kinds of stuffed animals and blankets. He saw that Ni Hao Ki Lan was on in Brianna's room and he decided he wanted to lay down with them and watch it. Brianna is under the Not-shiny pink blanket. He is laying on Tallynna. I am so glad that my son loves his older sisters...right now. I'm sure some day that will change but for now, I love it!! 

Monsoon Clouds

My father-in-law always tells me, "Clouds are boring" because I always take pictures of the clouds. I love to look at clouds and my favorite ones are the monsoon clouds we get here in Phoenix. Here are some of my recent "boring" cloud pictures. I hope you like them!

The ones that have the rays coming out are my absolute favorite! I have been told that this is supposed to be people's souls ascending into heaven.

This one is a reflection in the window of my bank.

I was leaving Wal-Mart when I saw this one. 

This big cloud was peaking over the mountain by my house.

This one just turned out pretty cool.

I get a nice refreshing gift a lot of times when I walk out of the building at work. That structure is our parking garage at work. I'm sure some of the people I work with thought I was a loon!

This is the same place and time just a zoomed in shot.

I hope you liked them as much at I liked taking them!

Better Late than Never

A couple of weeks ago, the kids and I went with my sister in law and her kiddos to the movies and then to the water park for a picnic and some water fun. I took lots of pictures and thought I would share some.

This is my son being his happy little self, running for the camera. He didn't spend any time in the water, in fact, I don't think he even got a drop of water on him.

My neice Arielle. She's such a cutie....when she isn't screaming.

Tough Guy.

He was actually mad at me because I wouldn't let him make a mess with the bubbles.

This was our little friend. I guess the sign says "Do not feed the ducks." 

I can't read.

Tallynna and Juanito sitting in a puddle. Maybe he got a little wet...

This is where he spent most of his time. He was trying to get the ducks to come over to him so he could pet them. Fat chance!

And the day would not be complete if we didn't have the Princess posing for the camera.

I love his feet!

This little guy came over to play with Juanito when he saw him calling for the ducks. The boys started to eat dirt together...must be some kind of 2 year old ritual.

My, my, my Arielle! How you have changed. We better tell your momma to stop feeding you bird food.

Michelle and her little mermaid.

Yes, Michelle, water is wet. Sorry to disappoint you.

She's not a bird anymore. She's after the lunchables!

We had a fun day until I had to leave so that I could get on a conference call for work. The kids enjoyed the movie and the picnic at the park. I am grateful for Michelle because she thinks of all these great things to do for not a lot of money.