Monday, January 18, 2016

Making signs!

I sometimes forget to share that I rarely post about the signs I am making!

Here is a sample of some I have been working on....check me out on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/arizonahomesweethome/?ref=aymt_homepage_panel

























Friday, January 1, 2016

Happy New Year 2016

Happy New Year everyone!

I hope everyone has a wonderful 2016! I used to get wrapped up in making New Year's Resolutions but as I've matured I have realized that making goals for yourself really don't have to happen on any magical date. I made one of the biggest resolutions for myself back in August 2009, I like to think that we can make daily promises to ourselves on what to improve, what to give up, what to take on.

2015 was a pretty great year overall. I think that adopting the feeling that any day you wake up is a good day. What happens after your eyes open is just bonus so don't waste it. I think our views of what is "waste" and what is not vary greatly. Some days I want to get up and run top speed accomplishing much for my family and myself. Other days, getting dressed and drinking coffee while snuggled watching Netflix with the kids or Shane is the greatest level of accomplishment for me. Life is short. It goes fast..too fast. I hope that I can keep a happy balance of what needs to be done with what I want to be done..whatever that may be for that particular day.

At the foremost of every decision and thought is my family. How do I help them move forward but keep them in the moment? How do I prepare them for the future but enjoy the now? This quandary becomes more real as we approach Cassandra's junior year. High school has gone so fast (she says the same thing!) and I find us facing her pending Navy enlistment. Talking about her joining the Navy in the 8th grade seemed so far in advance...now she's 16 and can technically "early enlist" at age 17. She recently decided she wants to push as hard as she can to graduate as a Junior which would mean...next year is her last year. I'm almost frozen with a mix of emotions so I can only imagine how she feels. I have so many questions and I'm so afraid of the answers that I don't even ask the question. I just wait which just perpetuates the circle of anxiety. Why do I do this? LOL! She has big things in the "now" as she's applied for a job, going to get her driving permit and step forward into more "adult" decisions. I hope she's ready ;)

Savannah is her usual self...anime, reading, writing, drawing in peaceful seclusion. I drag her out of her room unwillingly at first and then she becomes quite a social girl! She's got me watching a new series called Assassination Classroom. I love it! I think she loves that I love it so that makes me love it more. See how that works? She is excited for high school, mainly because she'll have Cassandra at school with her again. The idea that Cassandra wants to graduate early makes me sad for them both for the high school years that they will miss together. It will be what it will be, I suppose. Savannah wants to take drawing lessons, I'm on the search for that currently.

Griffin is always  hovering the line of success and getting his ass kicked! I swear, that boy keeps me on my toes! In so many ways he is an easy going "auto pilot" type of kid and in so many others he is high maintenance. He has been longboarding with his sister since Christmas, he enjoys participating in the 5K events with Cassandra and my parents. He's still a gamer at heart and maybe that concerns me. I am going to encourage him to continue his welding with my dad and more outside activities while we are able to enjoy them with this weather! All too quickly the heat will return and then we are truly stuck indoors.

Alyssa is Alyssa. She is making a big change for 2016! She has changed schools!! I am excited for the new opportunities in a much better environment than she was previously in. I hope she makes good friends and comes out of her shell. She's an "old soul" and I think she gravitates towards adults and older kids rather than her peers. I'd like to get her moving more (she got a bike for Christmas) and all of us eating healthier. She's too smart for her own damn good and I find myself laughing at her comments more than I should. School work is effortless for her so I don't have much to help her with in that department. She's very self sufficient when it comes to her school work, deadlines, etc.

 I need to work more on everyone consistently doing chores! I'll let  you know how that goes....HA!

Shane is doing well at work! He's keeping very busy and very involved. He's brought the District into the current times with a Facebook page, educational videos about what they do and much more! I'm so proud of him and the efforts he has but into that aspect of the company. I think it will do great things for all involved. Educating desert people about water is always a good thing! He is having ankle surgery on Jan. 22nd. I'm oddly happy for him as his pain is uncontrollable at this point. I always worry when he's having surgery but I know that he's ready for some relief. The recovery will be long but worth it. The doctor is confident and that helps a lot!

Aspen made it to her 1st birthday! Some days I wasn't sure that was going to happen ! She's doing well and I plan to do more "play dates" for her with other dogs to keep her socially aware and not such a derp! I'd love to look into training classes for her to be a therapy dog so that she can visit with the severely disabled class I have worked with so much. I get conflicting reports on age requirements for her. I'll keep looking into it. If anyone has information, please share it!